Wycombe 2 Oxford 1: Jacobson penalty fires Wanderers into the Championship for first time in their history at Wembley
JOE JACOBSON fired Wycombe into the Championship for the first time in their history at Wembley last night. The defender stepped up to send Oxford keeper Simon Eastwood the wrong way from the penalty spot with 11 minutes left. It was a fairytale evening for the Buckingshire club who were the pre-season favourites to be […]
JOE JACOBSON fired Wycombe into the Championship for the first time in their history at Wembley last night.
The defender stepped up to send Oxford keeper Simon Eastwood the wrong way from the penalty spot with 11 minutes left.
It was a fairytale evening for the Buckingshire club who were the pre-season favourites to be relegated.
And their promotion to English football’s second tier comes just six years after the club went into their final game of the season at Torquay with their League status under threat.
Boss Gareth Ainsworth led the team to safety and then to promotion to League One two years.
Wycombe only got into the play-offs after the EFL promoted them from eighth to third in the final League One table on the points-per-game method.
And they got off to a dream start when Anthony Stewart headed in after nine minutes – but that goal got cancelled out by a fluke mis-hit cross from Mark Sykes in the 57th minute.
Wycombe’s guitar-playing boss Gareth Ainsworth had to skip band practice to lead his team at Wembley.
And his Wanderers proved to be the headline act.
The club’s TV presenter fan Bill Turnbull was in press box and chanted Chairboys in the final 10 minutes – and was virtually in tears when the ref blew his whistle.
This really was one hell of a story This was a clash between two different styles. Karl Robinson’s Oxford play fluid possession-based passing football while the Chairboys are direct and up and at them.
And Wycombe took the lead after just nine minutes.
Oxford gave away a cheap corner and Joe Jacobson sent in one of his trademark swirling crosses.
Anthony Stewart headed the ball down at the far post and it deflected off the foot of keeper Simon Eastwood and into the net.
Eastwood’s heart must have been racing when he fumbled Fred Onyedinma 20-yard effort. Fortunately, for him, he was able to gather at the second attempt.
Oxford almost got back on terms but Sam Long fired just wide.
Stewart made a brilliant goal-saving block to stop Matt Sykes squaring the ball to Matt Taylor, who would have had the easy task of finishing from six yards.
Oxford – for all their possession – were struggling to break down Wycombe – and Marcus Browne tried to unlock them with a shot from distance but it flashed high and wide.
Josh Ruffles then headed over from a corner on the stroke of half time.
Onyedinma had a chance to double the lead but blasted over from 12 yards.
Alex Pattison replaced Bloomfield at the break while Liam Kelly came on for Alex Gorrin.
Stewart made another superb interception to save Wycombe’s bacon.
Sykes again motored down the right flank and he had Henry lining up to net but the Chairboys defender managed to cut it out for a corner.
Oxford, incredibly, pulled level through a massive 57th-minute fluke.
Sykes was aiming to cross from the right flank – but he scuffed it and the ball looped over keeper Ryan Allsop.
Henry should have put Oxford in front when he had a great shooting chance but elected to pass the ball to Taylor – but Stewart brilliantly intercepted.
Wycombe threw on The Beast that is Adebayo Akinfenwa as the they looked muscle their way into the Championship.
But Oxford were bossing the game at this point and were denied by two great pieces of goalkeeping from Allsop.
First he saved Rob Dickie’s header from a James Henry free-kick.
Then Dickie saw another header brilliantly turned behind by a save at full stretch.
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Wycombe were awarded a penalty when an up-and-under saw Oxford keeper Simon Eastwood and Onyedinma racing for the loose ball.
But Eastwood took over the Chairboys ace and ref Robert Jones pointed to the spot.
Up stepped Joe Jacobson to send the keeper the wrong way.