Southend promoted after penalty win against Wycombe

 

Southend United return to League One for the first time in four years following a dramatic penalty shootout against Wycombe Wanderers at Wembley Stadium.

The game remained goalless after 90 minutes, and both sides prepared themselves for extra time.

The extra period was just five minutes old when the Chairboys’ Joe Jacobson curled a 25 yard free kick towards the top corner. He was denied by the crossbar, but the ball bounced back off Shrimpers keeper Daniel Bentley and into the net.

With time running out, it looked like it would be Wycombe, who had been in the top three from late September until the penultimate weekend, that would be celebrating a return to League One.

But two minutes into stoppage time, Shrimpers forward Joe Pigott slotted home to level the game, taking it into a penalty shootout.

Southend began the shootout and Joe Piggott slotted the first penalty past Chairboys keeper Alex Lynch before Peter Murphy scored to level for Wycombe.

Ben Coker then saw his effort saved by Lynch, before Brentford loanee Alfie Mawson scored past Bentley to give the Chairboys the advantage after two penalties each.

Leonard and Payne successfully converted for Southend either side of Paul Hayes, but Matt Bloomfield saw his effort saved by Bentley.

Timlin, Bean, Barrett, Jacobson, Weston, Holloway and Bolger all scored, taking it to 7-6 in the Shrimpers favour, before Bentley saved Sam Wood’s effort to win the game for Southend.