Of all Wanderers’ remarkable comebacks this season this was the best yet, writes Pete Oliver.
The injury-time strikes to win at Huddersfield might take a bit of beating, not to mention the other late, late shows Steven Schumacher’s men have pulled off this season.
But two stoppage-time goals on top of one in the 88th-minute trumped even that fightback as the Whites gave their promotion push another unlikely boost as Corey Blackett-Taylor’s spectacular winner made it 11 games unbeaten and just about kept the top two in sight.
Wycombe had moved into the play-off places in mid-week and looked set for a deserved fourth successive win as they comfortably led 2-0 going into the final stages.
But Wanderers’ record this season – allied to the prospect of plenty of added time – meant that could they get a goal back before the 90 minutes there might still be a chance.
Ruben Rodrigues duly obliged with his first for the club and with seven minutes added it was suddenly game on. Blackett-Taylor had looked a possible game-changer after coming off the bench at half-time and it was three of Schumacher’s substitutes who ultimately made the difference.
Unsurprisingly, Wanderers had started unchanged from their 5-1 win at Exeter and one of the scorers from a week ago had the ideal chance to maintain the momentum with a goal inside the opening two minutes in a typically rapid start.
But, as has happened too often, an excellent chance didn’t lead to a goal as Thierry Gale sprinted clear with an excellent run but couldn’t find the finish to beat goalkeeper Will Norris.
It was all Wanderers in the opening few minutes but having come through unscathed Wycombe grew into the game and it was no great surprise when they took a 27th-minute lead.
The visitors kept Wanderers pegged back and when former Whites’ midfielder Aaron Morley whipped another ball into the box, Cauley Woodrow met the cross with a powerful near-post header which flew into the net to give the Chairboys the perfect platform to try and build on their recent run.
That had propelled them into the top six and as Wycombe pressed for a second goal it needed a smart reaction from goalkeeper Jack Bonham to reach the ball just ahead of Daniel Harvie as another cross caused problems.
That was only a short-lived stay of execution, however, as Wycombe did double their lead just before half-time when a deep corner was nodded back across goal by Nathan Lowe for on-loan Oxford midfielder Luke Harris to poke the ball home from close range.
Harris then delivered a superb ball which Lowe almost turned in at full stretch to leave Schumacher with plenty to think about at the break, prompting a change at the start of the second half as Blackett-Taylor replaced Rob Apter in one of the wide positions.
The next threat came Wycombe’s way, however, as Morley – enjoying his return to his former home – tested Bonham with a stinging drive before Wanderers thought they had pulled a goal back to get into the game.
Taylor-Blackett had added a threat and after he forced a corner, Eoin Toal’s close-range effort was cleared from the back of the goalline with millimetres to spare before former Wycombe defender Chris Forino saw his header superbly saved by Will Norris from the follow-up.
Dalby then headed at Norris from a Blackett-Taylor cross but Wanderers were unable to sustain any pressure as Wycombe stood firm and had opportunities to add to their lead on the break.
They didn’t take them, though, and Wanderers gave themselves hope with two minutes of normal time to go. A couple of injuries have limited Rodrigues’ impact since his January arrival but the midfielder showed his class when he collected a Sam Dalby lay-off to coolly slot home and inject some fresh belief into the Whites.
Blackett-Taylor then crossed for Burstow to power home his 11th goal of the season and with the stage set for another remarkable finish the on-loan winger duly obliged.
With the visitors suddenly taking on water, Blackett-Taylor left two defenders in his wake and had nothing else in his mind than curling a beauty around Norris and into the top corner from 25 yards out to give Wanderers a 12th and most memorable home win of a promotion challenge that, like team, isn’t quite dead yet.
Wanderers: Bonham; Forino; Osei-Tutu, Toal, Forino (Conway 63), Johnston; Apter, Sheehan, Erhahon (Rodrigues 63), Gale (Burstow 63); Kenny (Dempsey 81), Dalby. Substitutes: Harrington, Simons.
Booked: Osei-Tutu, Kenny, Blackett-Taylor
Wycombe: Norris; Grimmer, Casey (Taylor 51), Allen, Harvie; Onyedinma, Morley (Leahy 81), Boyd-Munce, Harris; Woodrow, Lowe (Scowen 66). Substitutes: Van Sas, Quitirna, Mullins, Vidigal.
Booked: Harvie, Aleen, Boyd-Munce, Woodrow
Referee: Matt Corlett
Attendance: 20,512 (away 369)