Wycombe Wanderers utility player Luke Leahy has admitted he didn’t realise his last-minute penalty to rescue a point against Derby County was the last kick of the contest.
The Chairboys secured a 1-1 draw away at the Rams on December 16 after the Adams Park side were awarded a spot-kick in the 96th minute of the match.
— Wycombe Wanderers (@wwfcofficial) December 16, 2023
This came after Tom Barkhuizen thought he had won the fixture for the promotion-pushers with a strike in the 83rd minute to which the Rams the lead.
However, in the final seconds of the contest, David Wheeler was fouled by Joe Ward in the penalty box and Rebecca Welch pointed to the spot, which was duly converted by Leahy for his seventh of the season.
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He said: “There’s nothing better when it’s the last kick of the game.
“I didn’t realise it was until at the end of the celebration when I saw the linesman standing next to the referee, so that feeling is great.
“It feels like a win for us, and for them, it feels like a defeat.
90 + 6 - PENALTY TO WYCOMBE!!!!!!
— James Richings (@James_BFP) December 16, 2023
“But we can’t ahead of ourselves as yes, this is a point we deserved, we need to get ready for next week.”
The goal was Leahy’s seventh for the club since moving from Shrewsbury Town in the summer, with five of his strikes coming from the spot.
READ MORE: 'I’m so proud of them' - Matt Bloomfield on Wycombe's late draw at Derby County
On his 100 per cent penalty record at Adams Park so far, he said: “I don’t want to give it the kiss of death but it’s just down to practising.
👏 Thank you to the 475 #Chairboys fans whose trip was rewarded with some last-gasp limbs.
— Wycombe Wanderers (@wwfcofficial) December 16, 2023
Apparently Derby brought a few more…? pic.twitter.com/RRJGkQWxd8
“I practise all the time.
“I usually get someone to take all the flack with the ball on the penalty spot then I arrive, gather my thoughts, and today it paid off.”
The goal means Leahy is now Wanderers’ highest scorer of the season.
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