Adebayo Akinfenwa was the hero once again for Wycombe as he struck twice to help Wanderers earn a point in a topsy-turvy clash at Accrington Stanley on Tuesday evening. 

The striker levelled matters after Sean Clare's first-half header and looked to have won it before Matt Pearson nodded home a free-kick to ensure the points were shared. 

Gareth Ainsworth opted for experience with his starting XI, recalling Joe Jacobson after suspension while Marcus Bean and Garry Thompson came in for Dominic Gape and Luke O’Nien. 

On a sodden pitch which had passed an inspection earlier in the day, free-flowing football was at a premium but it was the hosts who had the better chances of the opening half, with Sean Clare at the heart of most of their play. 

He fizzed in a dangerous cross which just missed the boot of Billy Kee in front of goal and also glanced a header into the arms of Jamal Blackman, before sending a swerving effort from distance past the post. 

Matty Pearson also missed the target with a curling shot with the outside of his right boot, with Wycombe’s chances coming from Paris Cowan-Hall – whose shot from 18 yards was blocked – and Will De Havilland, whose header lacked the power to trouble the keeper from Cowan-Hall’s cross. 

The opener came in first-half stoppage time, just as it did last season, and it was Clare who grabbed it, heading home from Jordan Clark’s corner after Stanley broke quickly once a Wycombe attack had broken down.

Wanderers began the second half on the front foot, with Adebayo Akinfenwa straining to meet Joe Jacobson’s deep cross only to head over the bar, while Cowan-Hall fired high and wide with a first-time shot on the turn from a flick-on from a Garry Thompson throw. 

But then came a period of real drama, with three goals in quick succession ultimately settling the game as a draw. 

Stanley had done superbly for the most part to quell the Wycombe threat from crosses but let their guard down to allow Michael Harriman to pick out Akinfenwa who converted with a superb header into the top corner. 

The visiting fans were still celebrating when Akinfenwa turned the game on its head, chesting down another ball from out wide before spinning and firing into the far corner to give the keeper no chance. 

But it was 2-2 on 63 minutes when another set-piece caught the Wycombe defence out, and it was Matt Pearson who guided home Jordan Clark’s delivery to set up a thrilling final half hour. 

Akinfenwa glanced a header just wide as he sought a hat-trick while Janoi Donacien slashed a chance high and wide, and Jamal Blackman tipped a looping header from Mark Hughes over the bar. 

Jordan Clark’s cross-shot bounced off the crossbar before action swung to the other end, where both Akinfenwa and Max Muller were denied in a goalmouth scramble from Joe Jacobson’s corner. 

Luke O’Nien almost took advantage of a poor clearance from Marek Rodak but the keeper recovered in time to just about hold on to the substitute’s speculative effort, and in stoppage time, the keeper dropped a corner onto the goal-line but was just about spared the embarrassment as the game ended in a 2-2 draw to get the Blues back on track after a run of defeats. 

Courtesy of Wycombe Wanderers