Wanderers saw a three goal lead become a one goal lead in the space of five minutes against Plymouth

Wanderers conceded two goals in the final five .minutes as Plymouth battled back from the dead in the play-off semi-final first leg at Home Park.

The visitors looked like they would be taking a three goal lead back to Adams Park after Paul Hayes, Aaron Holloway and Steven Craig had put them in a commanding position.

But they were left shell shocked as substitute Zak Ansah hammered the ball past Alex Lynch with a dipping strike from long range before Jason Banton found the bottom corner with just one minute left.

The result flattered Plymouth, who had been second best for much of the game but who will head to Buckinghamshire on Thursday with one eye on making it to Wembley.

The news that all Wycombe fans had dread arrived shortly before kick-off as Matt Ingram hadn’t recovered in time to play any part at Home Park after injuring himself against Northampton seven days previously, meaning that Lynch, who made his professional debut at Sixfields, deputised in goal – the first time since March 2013 that Ingram hadn’t started in goal for Blues.

Better news for Gareth Ainsworth arrived in the form of Sam Saunders and Joe Jacobson, who both recovered from injuries to take their places in the starting XI in place of Hogan Ephraim and Peter Murphy.

Home Park was absolutely bouncing as the players entered the pitch and the hosts swarmed up the pitch with intent from the kick-off and earned themselves a corner with less than a minute played.

The ball was cleared back to Bobby Reid after his original corner and he floated the ball to the back post where Curtis Nelson nodded just wide.

After a slow start the visitors had begun to impose themselves on a side they beat on the same ground back in September and after a wild shot from Marcus Bean chalked up their first effort on goal they took the lead with their second.

Jacobson’s delivery has been missed during his spell on the sidelines and he swung a perfect ball into the middle where Alfie Mawson’s powerful header was too hot to handle for Luke McCormick and Hayes turned the ball home on the rebound.

John Sheridan prowled his technical area as he sought a response from a team who lost just four times at home in 23 League Two matches – one of those coming against Wanderers in September.

The Pilgrims boss, along with every fan of a green persuasion inside the stadium, was in uproar after 22 minutes as Holloway smashed home his fourth of the season.

Craig had appeared to have handled the ball as he knocked it down to the oncoming Holloway, who picked out the bottom corner superbly with a half-volley which left the Plymouth players enraged.

Referee Peter Banks’ popularity amongst the Devonians fell even further when he booked Carl McHugh for a foul on Jacobson as his shove on the left-back forced him to head it against his own crossbar.

With the clock ticking past the half hour mark Lynch was yet to make a save of note, although the travelling fans sang his name after he rushed from goal to collect Reuben Reid’s through ball which was making its way to Lewis Alessandra.

The sight of Wanderers players sporting head bandages, in the style of Terry Butcher, has been common place this season and Hayes become the latest to sport one as he was patched up after an aerial collision with Nelson.

The home side had been disappointing as the half drew to a close but they almost snatched a lifeline as Nelson met Reid’s outswinging free-kick at the back post, only to wheel away in frustration as his header flew narrowly wide.

Matt Bloomfield emerged for the second half in place of Hayes, who had failed to recover after taking a blow to the head earlier in the half.

The substitute was straight into the action and he should have done better with a half-volley which he skewed wide after Holloway had teed him up on the edge of the box.

Just moments later a third arrived as some quick thinking from Saunders saw him pick out Craig with a neat pass from a free-kick and, just as the Plymouth defence realised what was happening, Craig lashed the ball past McCormick for his third goal of the season.

Clearly riled up by the fact Wanderers were so dominant, the Plymouth players’ frustration boiled over as after an ugly challenge by Anthony O’Connor, in which he landed an arm in Bloomfield’s face, a fracas ensued.

Chants of “off, off, off” rang out from the away fans before the referee produced just a yellow card.

The 813 away fans also taunted their opposite number with chants of “we want four” and their wishes nearly came true as Jacobson’s inswinging corner evaded everyone before just sliding past the far post.

Holloway blasted an effort over as the visitors took all the sting out of the game and were now in complete control.

John Sheridan said in a pre-match interview that he expected his team to win the play-offs, but their hopes of doing so looked all but over as they struggled to create anything of note in the second half.

Holloway has been enjoying a run in the Wanderers team of late and his inclusion has been more than justified by his performances, but his tendency to pick up injuries will be a concern for Ainsworth, who was forced to replace the burly striker with Peter Murphy 15 minutes from the end.

The Wycombe boss will have been delighted with how little Lynch was tested in goal, although he looks shaky under the high ball – a situation which almost produced a goal for Nelson as he headed the ball just wide as the ‘keeper tried and failed to gather a cross.

Just as the home fans began to head for the exits they were handed a lifeline as Ansah took aim from long range and sent a superb, dipping effort past the diving Lynch.

All of a sudden Home Park had become a cacophony of noise, and the volume went up a few decibels when a second goal arrived in the 89th minute. Substitute Banton delivered a cross looking for Alessandra but saw it miss its target and sail into the bottom corner past the bamboozled Lynch.

Plymouth: McCormick, Mellor, Nelson, Alessandra, B Reid, Holmes-Dennis, McHugh (Ansah), R Reid (Brunt), O’Connor, Jones (Banton), Hartley
Substitutes not used: Bittner, Purrington, Blizzard, Harvey,
Goals: Ansah 86, Banton 89

Wanderers: Lynch, Yennaris, Mawson, Pierre, Jacobson, Saunders, Wood, Holloway (Murphy), Hayes (Bloomfield), Bean, Craig (Onyedinma)
Substitutes not used: Horlock, Fletcher, Kretzschmar, Ephraim,
Goals: Hayes 10, Holloway 22, Craig 52,

Referee: Peter Bankes
Assistant referees: Robert Hyde and Chris Powell
Fourth official: Andy Woolmer

Attendance: 14,175 (813 Wanderers)