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Wycombe 0 Stanley 1

30 April 2016

Defender Mark Hughes scored his first Stanley goal to keep the Reds in second spot as the battle for the automatic promotion places goes down to the final game.

With Oxford and Bristol Rovers winning, it all goes down to the final match next weekend with Stanley in pole position with a two point gap over fourth placed Rovers.

Nearly 600 Stanley fans packed into Adams Park and rushed down to mob Hughes as Josh Windass hit the post with a free kick on 78 minutes and the defender was there to tap home the rebound.

It was a cagey game with Wycombe, whose own promotion bid ended last weekend, giving Stanley a tough test.

Stanley had numerous penalty appeals waved away while they found Wycombe's keeper Benjamin Siegrist, on loan from Aston Villa, in superb form.

The first appeal came on 10 minutes when Adam Buxton fell under a challenge from Michael Harriman but the appeals were waved away.

Wycombe top scorer Harriman was lively and he came close to an opener for the home side when the ball came out to him unmarked in the area on 18 minutes but his sliding effort sailed wide.

The Reds then had two great chances to go ahead on 20 minutes with a Windass weaving run ending with his strike pushed out by Siergrist and, a minute later, Reading loan winger Tariqe Fosu saw his effort finger tipped over the by the stopper.

Stanley had another great chance on 37 minutes when Fosu counter-attacked and fed the inrushing Brad Halliday who had the better of Siergrist but fired wide of the far post.

And the Villa loanee pushed out a Billy Kee effort moments later as the keeper enjoyed a strong debut.

The Reds were furious before half-time when Windass threatened to run at goal but Aaron Pierre clipped him– he was shown a yellow but many felt it should have been a red for last man.

And, just before the half-time whistle, the Reds had another appeal when Hughes looked to be pulled down in the area but again nothing was given.

Wycombe started the second half well with former Morecambe man Garry Thompson just failing to connect with Harriman's cross.

However Stanley were soon shouting for a spot kick when Windass went down in the area under a challenge from Anthony Stewart but again nothing was given by referee Mr Bull.

Stanley's Matty Pearson came close with a diving header from a Buxton free kick on 56 minutes  while Paul Hayes volleyed narrowly over for Wycombe.

Then came the deciding goal which settled nerves in the away end as news filtered through of comfortable victories for Oxford and Bristol Rovers.

Victory over Stevenage at home next weekend will see Stanley in League One.


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