Wembley dream ends in tears

County win 2-1 on aggregate.

WYCOMBE Wanderers suffered play-off semi-final heartbreak for the second time in two years.

Their Wembley dream ended in tears at Edgeley Park - the scene of their record league defeat in December.

But this hurt much more than that 6-0 defeat ever did after Blues chucked everything but the kitchen sink at their rivals.

The Blues had high hopes after drawing the first leg 1-1 at Adams Park but they were rocked back on their heels by Liam Dickinson's goal after seven minutes and despite having more than 80 minutes left to repair the damage they could not force a leveller to take the game to extra time.

It was a real sickener for the players and the 1,300 travelling fans as Wycombe gave every ounce of effort but could not find the back of the net despite creating several chances.

Mike Williamson headed one onto the crossbar and saw another header cleared off the line but they could not puncture a County rearguard who fought for their lives.

And it is now Jim Gannon's men who will go to Wembley on May 26 for a derby final against Greater Manchester rivals Rochdale who beat Darlington on penalties this morning.

Wanderers boss Paul Lambert named an unchanged side from the one which drew 1-1 in the first leg at Adams Park for this absorbing second leg showdown.

But County chief Jim Gannon made four changes including dropping his goalkeeper John Ruddy following the on-loan Everton glovesman's gaffe in the first leg which led to the Wycombe goal.

With Rochdale having beaten Darlington in the other semi-final at lunchtime both teams knew the prize.

Both managers had spent the week slinging mud at each other but it was Stockport who fired the first warning shot across the bows winning a corner after just ten seconds.

It wasn't long though before County showed signs of big-match nerves in front of their expectant and boisterous fans.

First leg goalscorer Stephen Gleeson almost turned villain when he headed a ridiculous back pass to his keeper which Scott McGleish would have pounced on had he not been outjumped by keeper Conrad Logan.

It was a 100 miles-per hour opening and County were soon back on the attack.

From an excellenty-worked short corner Tommy Rowe drilled just wide.

But it took them just seven minutes to get their noses in front.

Wanderers captain Williamson was beaten on the halfway line in a tackle by Liam Dickinson and although he was initially slow to react, the Hatters top scorer was devastating after that.

He ran from the halfway line, leaving the chasing Wycombe defence in his slipstream, before expertly flicking the ball beyond Frank Fielding in the Blues goal.

It was the worst possible start for Wycombe who began without seven coach-loads of their fans held up by an accident on the M6.

And they still weren't in the ground when Williamson alsmost made amends at the other end heading a long Delroy Facey throw onto the top of the bar.

Wycombe's aerial threat was apparent again moments later when McGleish headed in Facey who, from an excellent position on the edge of the six-yard area couldn't steer his far post header between the posts.

Blues were playing the more constructive football but County were a real threat on the break and any loose ball in the midfield looked like it might be punished.

Wycombe's aerial threat exposed County again with Facey out-jumping his marker to tee up McGleish with a half volley on the turn which hit a County defender.

And McGleish should have done much better on 44 minutes when a Stefan Oakes long ball picked him out unmarked 12 yards out, but Wycombe's top scorer could not keep his volley down, sending the ball high into the packed Cheadle End.

You would normally back him to score from there but it was another sign that Wycombe were getting closer.

It was Wycombe's best chance of the half and was closely followed by a Tommy Doherty shot on the turn but the midfielder couldn't find the power to beat Conrad Logan in the County goal.

Trailing 1-0 on the day and 2-1 on aggregate it was all to play for when the teams emerged for the second half.

Both teams could have scored within minutes of the restart.

McGleish headed wide before it could have been curtains for Wycombe at the other end had Russell Martin not pulled out a wonderfully-timed tackle to deny Rowe just as the County forward was about to pull the trigger.

Dickinson then warmed Fielding's fingers from the edge of the area as County hunted a second goal to nudge them closer to Wembley.

But with such a massive prize at stake, and roared on by their own noisy support, Wycombe were giving as good as thy got and Gary Holt a play-off semi-final loser last year with Notts Forest came close to putting Wycombe level with a header from a Craig Woodman cross which was scrambled clear with McGleish lurking.

McGleish had his head in his hands again minutes later when he used his head to flick Sergio Torres' cross agonisingly wide of the far post with the keeper beaten.

Both sides were giving every ounce of effort in a full-blooded tie between two evenly-matched sides and Stefan Oakes arrowed a shot wide after slaloming his way through the defence.

Wycombe were dominating procedings but Facey could not keep his shot down after Holt had picked him out advancing towards the back stick.

The home fans in the 9,245 crowd were becoming increasingly edgy as Wycombe set up camp in the County half.

Lambert introduced £55,000 striker Leon Knight for Torres with 14 minutes left as Wycombe went for broke and he was furiously appealing for a penalty when his shot cannoned into a County defender.

Then he had another chance to be a hero sliding in at the back post but he could not steer his shot in.

Williamson also went close to forcing extra time with a header from an Oakes corner which was headed off the line by Gary Dicker.

Wanderers were given five minutes injury time to try and save their dream.

But they couldn't force an equaliser and were bemused bystanders as they were engulfed in a sea of delighted pitch invading County fans at the final whistle.