'POOL OVERCOME TAYLOR HEROICS
Wycombe had held out until the 78th minute, until the first corner of the game saw the Second Division side fail to pick up Heskey and from Steven Gerrard's pin-point cross, the England striker found himself completely unmarked and he powered his header home.
The game seemed over when Heskey was fouled by Jamie Bates and Fowler curled in a beautiful goal only for Ryan to reduce the arrears when he got on the end of a route one move and lifted the ball over Sander Westerveld and into the net.
However, it proved too little, too late for Wycombe, who had defended magnificently until then, with goalkeeper Martin Taylor outstanding, especially against Michael Owen, who he denied on at least three occasions.
Liverpool started the game in stunning form and could have been two goals up in the first two minutes, Taylor saving well from Owen after the same player had hit a shot just wide from an acute angle.
However, Wycombe had travelled to Villa Park to prove they could match their more illustrious opponents and a fourth minute tackle by Chris Vinnicombe on Dietmar Hamann certainly proved they were there to compete.
Indeed the tough tackling, especially in the middle of the park, was a feature of the game and Stephane Henchoz had to go off in the 18th minute for treatment.
Owen's pace was likely to cause Wanderers problems and so it proved in the 22nd minute, although Vinnicombe was extremely unhappy when the Liverpool striker stumbled in the box.
Referee Paul Durkin did not give a penalty, and a furious Vinnicombe angrily confronted the England star after the ball was cleared.
Liverpool were giving as good as they got with Fowler going in hard on Steve Brown and Michael Simpson being kicked by Hamann.
Brown roamed the midfield and was imperious in the tackle, but it was he who earned the first booking of the game with a revenge tackle on Hamann in the 28th minute.
Wycombe's best effort in the first half was a flick header from a free kick that Westerveld held at the second attempt.
However, they could have had a penalty in 36th minute when Brown appeared to be pushed by Jamie Carragher in front of the nose of Durkin, but again he waved away half-hearted appeals for a spot-kick.
It was Taylor, though, that had kept Wycombe in the game as Owen really should have opened the scoring in the 33rd minute when he raced onto a pass by Fowler but was denied brilliantly at close-range.
Christian Ziege almost gave Liverpool the half time lead when Sami Hyypia headed on a Hamann free kick and the German international's acrobatic overhead kick flew just wide of the post.
The second half was a quieter affair, Gerrard coming on for the ineffectual Nick Barmby and it was this move that turned the game in Liverpool's favour.
Gerrard was everywhere, and finally allowed The Premiership side's class to tell, as he cancelled out the effort shown by the likes of Brown and Ryan.
Hoping for a repeat of his heroics in the quarter final match-up with Leicester City, Wycombe manager Lawrie Sanchez countered by bringing on Roy Essandoh for top-scorer Andy Rammell.
This time there was to be no last-minute headlines as Essandoh found himself blanked out by the Liverpool defence.
Jason Cousins also went into the book for a poor challenge on Owen from behind and after another crunching challenge on the same player, Gerard Houllier responded by putting on Heskey for Ziege.
With time winding down, Heskey's power galvanised Liverpool, giving them a physical presence upfront.
In the 76th minute his header was well saved by Taylor but it was during this period of play that the eventual breakthrough finally came.
Wycombe had defended superbly until this time but a minute later Owen found himself clean through with Taylor to beat and again the keeper spread himself and was equal to the challenge.
The ball went out for a corner that was cleared only as far as Gary McAllister, his pass found Gerrard in space and he crossed for Heskey to easily beat Taylor from five yards.
An 83rd minute foul on Heskey on the edge of the area by Bates saw Fowler show superb vision to realise Taylor was unsighted and with minimal effort, the striker strode up to curl his shot into the top corner.
Substitute Danny Murphy had a chance to put the game beyond doubt but he saw his shot well held by Taylor, indeed the keeper set up Wycombe's goal as his free kick was flicked on into the box and Ryan got underneath his shot but saw it sail over Westerveld and into the net.
Although it was a fortuitous goal, Wycombe's luck finally ran out as they could not force the equaliser and it was Liverpool who advanced to the final at Cardiff to face Arsenal, who beat Tottenham 2-1 earlier on Sunday.
