Walsall vs Barnsley. Sky Bet League One.
Poundland Bescot StadiumAttendance8,022.
Monday 23 May 2016 15:29, UK
Barnsley booked a date at Wembley in style, beating Walsall 3-1 to cruise through 6-1 on aggregate in the Sky Bet League One play-off semi-final.
Holding a 3-0 advantage from the first leg, Barnsley eradicated any potential nerves by notching an early goal at the Banks's Stadium through Adam Hammill before on-loan Manchester United striker Ashley Fletcher doubled the night's advantage in the second period.
Jordan Cook netted a fantastic strike for Walsall but Josh Brownhill restored the two-goal cushion late on.
The trip to Wembley on Sunday, to face Millwall, represents an incredible turnaround for Barnsley, who were bottom of League One on December 11. No side in the top four divisions have won more games than them in all competitions (19) in 2016.
Walsall survived an almighty scare in the eighth minute when an unmarked Alfie Mawson mistimed his header inside the six-yard box following a Hourihane corner.
The Saddlers went close as Andy Taylor narrowly missed the top corner with a free-kick on the edge of the box before another superb delivery into the penalty area from Hourihane fell to Hammill's feet and the winger kept his cool to slot the ball past goalkeeper Neil Etheridge.
It all but settled the tie but Barnsley looked to turn the screw regardless and Hourihane almost forced James O'Connor to put the ball into his own net but Etheridge reacted quickly to block.
Another Hourihane cross from the right found Sam Winnall at the far post but Etheridge denied him at point-blank range.
Walsall were really riding their luck but came into the game a little more either side of the half-hour mark. Tom Bradshaw scuffed his shot wide and then Jordy Hiwula directed Rico Henry's driven cross just wide.
And when the Saddlers did register an effort on target they found Adam Davies on top form as he dived at full stretch to his right to push away Bradshaw's header. Back at the other end, Etheridge twice had to deny Fletcher before half-time.
Walsall began the second half brightly but came within a whisker of falling further behind when Paul Downing poked the ball inches wide of his own net.
Davies produced another fine save to push away Adam Chambers' 20-yard strike on the hour before goalscorer Hammill turned creator with a cross which Fletcher controlled inside the penalty area before firing the ball home.
Davies was finally beaten by Cook's inch-perfect curler into the top corner of the net before a defensive mix-up in the final minute allowed Lloyd Isgrove to set up Brownhill to smash home Barnsley's third goal of the night.
