Last-minute winner keeps Wycombe’s promotion hopes alive

The Chairboys huffed and they puffed until Jason McCarthy blew down the Fleetwood rearguard to take all three points.

Gareth Ainsworth opted for zero changes from the side that drew 0-0 with league leaders Rotherham. Whilst, the visitors were desperate to snap their four game losing streak and made three changes.

Fleetwood’s paper-thin squad had stayed overnight in High Wycombe to avoid the arduous four hour coach journey and it paid off as they started the livelier of the two.

Dan Butterworth took advantage of a defensive mix-up to race in behind. Stockdale produced a smart stop to deny the youngster and he would do the same again stretching out to tip Paddy Lane’s curling effort away.

The hosts began to work their way into the game. Lewis Wing’s audacious effort from the edge of the box beat goalkeeper Kieran O’Hara but dropped onto the roof of the net.

This time, the Irish ‘keeper was forced into action. Fellow-countryman Daryl Horgan peeled away from the Fleetwood midfield and fed in Garath McCleary. No sooner could he weigh up the shot, O’Hara charged out and saved well from the winger.

Chances kept coming the Chairboys’ way. Anis Mehmeti chipped to Horgan in a dangerous area but off-balance he skewed it wide.

Wycombe were getting the ball in the right areas but were struggling to add venom to their attacks. From a cleared Joe Jacobson free-kick, McCleary picked out Wing who stabbed back across goal to find Ryan Tafazolli but he failed to keep his header down.

Ainsworth was hoping the Albanian would bring the necessary poison to wound the visitors. His silky touch allowed him to ghost beyond the defence and drill a cross whiskers beyond Sam Vokes and the far post.

18-year-old Cian Hayes brought the spark for Fleetwood in the second half. A touch beyond his years gave him the freedom to carve his way through and lay off Lane. Teed up by the Town winger, Butterworth’s strike was low and comfortably saved by Stockdale.

The second period was one full of frustration for the Chairboys. Although they controlled a lot of the ball, they failed to penetrate a resilient Fleetwood backline that had gone the previous 15 games without a clean sheet.

In desperate search for a goal, Wycombe had a gung-ho front three of Vokes, Brandon Hanlan and Adebayo Akinfenwa. The trio in question should’ve combined for the late opener. Vokes flicked onto Akinfenwa then straight into Hanlan’s path. Knocking it round the keeper with the goal and the terrace gaping he would agonisingly find the latter.

Wycombe would rely on its fabled playbook to give them a last-gasp winner. Deep into stoppage time, Jack Young delivered a high ball back into the area. O’Hara failed to deal with it and one game after celebrating his 150th Chairboys appearance Jason McCarthy lashed home to send the terrace into raptures.

Hats off to the Cod Army’s band of youngsters that resisted Wycombe up until the 94th minute. An average starting line-up of 22.6, including five players aged under-21 gave the Buckinghamshire side a stern test under the lights.

Three points stay in Adams Park and it keeps the pressure well on those who occupy the playoff spots. Just three points separate 8th and 4th with eight games to go.