Wanderers and Stockport County battled to a 1-1 draw at Adams Park on Sunday evening in an enthralling League Two play-off encounter to ensure that next weekend's clash at Edgeley Park will be a one-off affair to decide which team makes it to Wembley.
Delroy Facey opened the scoring on 41 minutes with a tremendous surging run and finish after John Ruddy's poor clearance from the County area, but a stunning volley from Hatters midfielder Stephen Gleeson nine minutes from time levelled matters and guaranteed a pulsating affair in the north-west next week.
Wanderers manager Paul Lambert sprang no real surprises with his team selection, opting to deploy Delroy Facey alongside top scorer Scott McGleish in the usual two-pronged attack.
County kicked off, defending the goal in front of the Dreams Stand which was three-quarters full with Hatters fans, but it was the Blues who enjoyed the better start, with a Stefan Oakes free-kick from the right-hand touchline threatening to cause problems.
But the first goalscoring chance of the match came from an unlikely source as midfielder Tommy Doherty, with no goals to his name since March last year, unleashed a stinging drive from 25 yards which was palmed away by County keeper John Ruddy.
Delroy Facey had showed superb composure inside the box on seven minutes to control a Sergio Torres cross and his lay-off to Doherty was met by a powerful shot to which Ruddy needed to be alert.
And barely a minute had passed by the time Doherty was at it again, mesmerising right-back James Smith with a number of twists and turns inside the box before curling an effort just over the crossbar.
With Delroy Facey rampant up-front and Stefan Oakes constantly sending testing balls forward, County struggled to get into the game and their only half chance came courtesy of Gareth Owen, who headed harmlessly over the bar from a corner on 12 minutes.
The visitors were then forced into a change on 15 minutes as Michael Raynes went down mysteriously in front of the dugouts, prompting the outspoken Jim Gannon to vent his anger at Stefan Oakes, but referee Darren Deadman was on hand to pacify the situation before Jim McNulty came on to replace the outgoing centre-back.
But the break in play seemed to benefit County as they began knocking the ball about in the Blues' half, but the Wanderers were equal to everything with full-backs Russell Martin and Craig Woodman in particular thwarting any threats down the wings.
Sergio Torres was the first name to enter the referee's notebook on 21 minutes for a late foul on Wycombe-born Dominic Blizzard, but it showed Wycombe's determination to take the game to County and Russell Martin wasn't far away from opening his account for the season when his cross-shot needed to be tipped over by the on-loan Ruddy.
On 26 minutes it was Ruddy's opposite number who needed to be at his best, but Frank Fielding certainly was on top form to tip Anthony Pilkington's header over the bar after a testing Michael Rose cross. The same player wasn't too far away moments later when his drilled effort from 20 yards flew a yard high and wide, and the visitors went on to enjoy a sustained spell of possession in warm conditions.
The Blues defence was coping superbly with the threat of County's top scorer Liam Dickinson, who had been a doubt for the game through injury and seemed to be a yard off the pace in the lone striker role, but it was a Wanderers attacker who lifted the roof off the stadium on 37 minutes with a superb opening goal.
Delroy Facey capitalised on a badly hit clearance from keeper John Ruddy but there was plenty to do as he marauded forward from 25 yards. The burly striker showed sensational power to hold off the challenges of two County defenders before hooking the ball into the net to spark jubilant scenes around the stadium, and a leap of joy from Paul Lambert showed just how much the goal meant to the Blues.
Going behind clearly rattled County boss Jim Gannon who, after a series of mind games in the media in the build-up to the game, reacted furiously to a late tackle by Tommy Doherty, but the Irishman was put in his place by Paul Lambert who sprinted across to say his piece.
A carnival atmosphere then manifested itself inside the home stands as Wycombe finished the half in style, and County were clearly stunned by the disappointing fashion in which they conceded the goal. A couple of angry words were exchanged as the two teams exited the pitch for the half-time break, but Wanderers could reflect on a strong first-half display which gave Paul Lambert's men encouragement that they could go on and build on their lead.
Jim Gannon made his second change of the match at half-time, replacing Dominic Blizzard with Stephen Gleeson, and the visitors saw a lot of the ball at the beginning of the second period. But with Delroy Facey a constant nuisance for the County backline, Wanderers always had an outlet when they needed to lighten the pressure on the defence, and the first half-chance fell to Mike Williamson when his header from a lofted Stefan Oakes corner sailed over the bar.
Moments later, only the deftest of flicks from the head of Michael Rose denied Scott McGleish a free header at the back post, and from the resulting corner, Leon Johnson's effort was just a yard wide of the goal. McGleish then attempted to add to his collection of 'goal-of-the-season' contenders on 52 minutes but his 40-yard effort was not really close to troubling Ruddy.
As the hour-mark approached, Wanderers continued to search for that crucial second goal, but it was the visitors who should have levelled the scores. Liam Dickinson turned past Leon Johnson inside the penalty area and slid the ball inside the six-yard box towards Tommy Rowe, but under pressure from the sliding Russell Martin, Rowe completely missed his kick and the ball trickled out for a goal-kick.
It seemed to serve as an alarm call to the Blues, who carved open a decent opportunity when Scott McGleish laid the ball back to Gary Holt after smart skills from Sergio Torres. However, Holt leant back too much and curled his left-footed effort the wrong side of the post, but the Blues had regained the momentum.
Stefan Oakes saw yellow on 67 minutes for a poor tackle on Liam Dickinson, although the County striker twice escaped a caution earlier in the game for a foul and for kicking the ball away.
Paul Lambert made his first changes of the game on 71 minutes, replacing Scott McGleish and Tommy Doherty with Leon Knight and youngster Matt Phillips, with Sergio Torres switching to the left and Stefan Oakes moving infield. And it was that man Phillips who produced a superb piece of skill which almost brought about a second, exchanging passes with Russell Martin with a smart back-flick before Martin's cross was inches away from Knight's boot.
Martin then became the fourth player to enter the book on 75 minutes for a foul in a dangerous position just outside the area, although Michael Rose's free-kick was wasted as it cannoned into the wall. Tommy Rowe was then caught late by Matty Phillips after the Blues winger had lost the ball, prompting more protests from Jim Gannon, and the County boss then made his final change of the game, replacing Rowe with striker Leon McSweeney.
But it was one of Gannon's earlier substitutions, Stephen Gleeson, who levelled the scores with nine minutes remaining with a superb volley from 25 yards which swerved past the helpless Frank Fielding. Perhaps he could have been closer down more by the Blues' midfield, but in truth it was an excellent strike and resulted in Jim Gannon directing a gloating fist towards Paul Lambert as the County fans erupted on to the pitch.
John Sutton was introduced into the action with five minutes left, replacing Delroy Facey in the Wanderers' attack, but with neither side wanting to concede in the closing stages, chances were few and far between as the referee added five minutes stoppage time. Gleeson tried his luck again from 35 yards but his left-footed effort flew high and wide, and no further opportunites presented themselves as the referee called time on an enthralling battle.
So it's all eyes on next week's clash at Edgeley Park in what is effectively now a one-off affair, but the Blues showed ample signs of encouragement in this clash that could prove to be crucial next Saturday.
Wycombe: Fielding, Martin, Williamson, Johnson, Woodman, Oakes, Holt, Doherty (Phillips 72), Torres, Facey (Sutton 87), McGleish (Knight 72).
Subs Not Used: Young, McCracken.
Booked: Torres, Doherty, Oakes, Martin, Woodman.
Goals: Facey 37.
Stockport: Ruddy, James Smith, Owen, Raynes (McNulty 14), Rose, Dickinson, Dicker, Turnbull, Blizzard (Gleeson 46), Rowe (McSweeney 82), Pilkington.
Subs Not Used: Logan, Proudlock.
Booked: Blizzard, Owen.
Goals: Gleeson 82.
Att: 6,371
Ref: Darren Deadman (Cambridgeshire).
