Wycombe Wanderers were dealt a hammer blow as Notts County scored a couple of late goals to win 4-2 after a rousing comeback almost got the home side a point.

Substitute Jonathan Forte scored the decisive goal on 83 minutes after great work from Shola Ameobi at the back post.

Fellow sub Lewis Alessandra then sealed the points a minute from time, slamming into the roof of the net from a yard after more superb play from Ameobi.

Wanderers had almost threatened a superb comeback after a tepid first half display left the home side with a mountain to climb.

Nick Freeman made an immediate impact after coming at half-time smashing in a tremendous half-volley on 49 minutes after a scramble in the County box.

Jacobson then scored with a world class free kick on 68 minutes, curling a delightful free kick over the wall and into the net via the post, giving Adam Collin absolutely no chance.

County led 2-0 at the break thanks to strikes from Richard Duffy and an unfortunate Luke O’Nien own goal.

Duffy headed in on 13 minutes, glancing home after a brilliant Dan Jones delivery.

Two minutes later, disaster struck when Scott Brown spilled a fierce cross from Jones and Adam El-Abd smashed the ball into the unfortunate O’Nien and his attempted clearance ricocheted into the net.

Wycombe had a sniff of a chance in the opening two minutes when Adebayo Akinfenwa produced a sublime bit of skill to lay the ball off to O’Nien but the midfielder slipped as he was about to pull the trigger.

Two minutes later, Michael Harriman produced an incredible goal-line clearance to deny what looked a certain when Shaun Brisley headed past Brown but the full-back stretched every sinew to clear over the bar.

The home side were shellshocked by County’s rapid start, The Chairboys did have a half-chance on 23 minutes when Harriman’s cross was flicked on by Dayle Southwell but Akinfenwa volleyed wide.

Wanderers were slowly trying to force their way back into the match and Southwell had an excellent chance on the half-hour mark but Collin did enough to smother the forward’s effort.

Harriman came to Wycombe’s rescue again moments later when he cleared off the line from Terry Hawkridge’s header.

Akinfenwa was presented with a superb cross from Matt Bloomfield three minutes before half-time but the delivery was a tad too high and his effort ballooned over.

Right on half-time, O’Nien long-range effort was comfortably held by Collin in the County goal.

Gareth Ainsworth made a double change at half-time, bringing on debutant Craig Mackail-Smith and Nick Freeman in place of Paul Hayes and Southwell to try and galvanise his troops.

Freeman made an instant impact and then Mackail-Smith should have equalised for the Blues on 56 minutes when Harriman’s terrific cross found the former Luton man but he could only head straight at Collin with the goal gaping.

Wycombe were steadily getting on top and Joe Jacobson found Akinfenwa in the box 10 yards out on 63 minutes but ‘The Beast’s” volley was taken on the stretch and rose over the bar.

Then five minutes later, Joe Jacobson produced a moment of magic to equalise. His world class free kick from 25 yards went in off the post to send the Wanderers fans into delirium.

The Chairboys could now sense a real chance and Dominic Gape crashed a rocket just over with 20 minutes to go.

With County rocking, Bloomfield again put in a gem of a cross and Akinfenwa’s header went inches wide with Collin scrambling.

However, two late sucker punches from the Magpies ensured all three points would go back up to Nottingham.
 

WYCOMBE WANDERERS: Brown, Harriman, Jombati, El-Abd, Jacobson, Gape, O’Nien, Bloomfield (sub: Williams, 87), Southwell (sub: Freeman, 46), Akinfenwa, Hayes (sub: Mackail-Smith, 46). Subs: Richardson, Stewart, Bean, Muller.
 

NOTTS COUNTY: Collin, Tootle, Duffy, Brisley, Jones, Hawkridge (sub: Alessandra), Hewitt, Yates, Grant, Stead (sub: Forte, 69), Ameobi (sub: Smith, 90). Subs: Pindroch, Dickinson, Smith, Hunt, Milsom.

REFEREE: Michael Salisbury