Accrington Stanley vs AFC Wimbledon. Sky Bet League Two.
Wham StadiumAttendance4,634.
2-3
Thursday 19 May 2016 06:13, UK
Lyle Taylor's extra-time strike sent AFC Wimbledon through to the Sky Bet League Two play-off final after beating Accrington 3-2 on aggregate.
Stanley had got right back into the tie after trailing 1-0 from the first leg thanks to a Josh Windass penalty in the first half, and they doubled their lead on the night thanks to a stunning effort from Piero Mingoia.
But AFC Wimbledon weren't to be pegged back for long, with Adebayo Akinfenwa heading home to level the aggregate score before Taylor hit home from a rebounded save to send the Dons through to Wembley.
Neal Ardley's men will now face Plymouth in the final on May 30.
AFC Wimbledon started the game stronger, with Taylor looking lively as he put three efforts past the post in the opening 10 minutes, with Andy Barcham also pressuring the home defence.
But signs of life from Accrington came not long after as Shay McCartan headed on a cross from Seamus Conneely into the path of Tom Davies but he couldn't quite get a touch on the ball as it flew into the hands of Kelle Roos.
Sean Rigg could have put the visitors ahead just before the half-hour mark as his shot from the edge of the area skimmed the crossbar before Adam Buxton's cross found the head of McCartan - but he could only fire into the arms of Kelle Roos.
But it was Accrington who took the advantage not long before half-time after Scott Brown was fouled by Rigg in the box, and Windass stepped up to score his eighth penalty of the season.
After an even start to the second half, Accrington took the lead for the first time in the tie after a stunning effort from Mingoia, who went on a solo run from the middle of the park to the top of the box and let fly, curling a fantastic effort into the top corner with Roos having little chance of saving it.
AFC Wimbledon got themselves back into the game after a cross from Fuller on the right hand side found the leaping Akinfenwa in the box and he powered his header past Ross Etheridge to send the travelling fans behind the goal into raptures.
The Dons could have added another not long after as Kennedy's cross found Ade Azeez in acres of space at the near post, but his header went agonisingly wide before Etheridge was called into action to keep a scrambled Barcharm header out of the net.
Akinfenwa came the closest to nabbing a winner in the closing stages of normal time, but his effort from the top of the box flew wide of the post.
Azeez was the first to have a glimmer of a chance at the start of extra time as his bicycle kick was cleared off the line by Davies but AFC Wimbledon took advantage not long after. Reeve went on a great run through the middle of the park and saw his shot palmed away by Etheridge but Taylor was there to net the rebound.
Acccrington didn't create many chances in extra time and after a brief stoppage due to broken floodlights, AFC Wimbledon should have added another as Azeez twice went close but they managed to see the game out to go through to the final.
