Wanderers 2, Exeter 1,

Paul Hayes scored with the last kick of the game – a penalty in the 12th minute of stoppage time – to earn Wanderers a crucial victory against Exeter, amid jubilant scenes at Adams Park.

The captain assumed responsibility for the spot-kick after Aaron Pierre had tumbled in the box, before sending the ‘keeper the wrong way as Wycombe’s promotion dream moved a step closer.

Liam Sercombe had cancelled out Sam Saunders’ early opener with 14 minutes remaining as the Grecians looked like they would spoil the party.

But Hayes' late heroics stole victory and ended the Chairboys’ three-year winless run on Tuesday nights at Adams Park,ensuring they stay third in League Two.

Gareth Ainsworth was once again a man light on the bench after Joe Jacobson failed to recover from his injury, which he picked up in a crunching tackle against Cheltenham on Saturday, in time for the game, meaning Sam Wood dropped into the back four.

The Blues boss also sprung a surprise by opting to start with Steven Craig ahead of Fred Onyedinma in attack, perhaps motivated by the striker’s run of seven games without a goal.

Before kick-off there was a bizarre, angry confrontation between Wanderers goalkeeping coach Barry Richardson and a member of the Exeter backroom staff in which both parties had to be kept apart by City players and Wycombe stewards.

Wanderers’ torrid run at home on a Tuesday night prompted Ainsworth to change his side’s preparations ahead of the fixture and after 37 seconds they should have taken the lead.

Nico Yennaris bombed down the right wing and delivered a pinpoint cross onto the left foot of Hayes, who somehow managed to pull his volley wide of the goal from six yards out.

Exeter were thumped 4-0 by Shrewsbury on Saturday but they responded well to their early scare and Lee Holmes forced Matt Ingram into a low save after he cut in from the right-hand side.

Unlike the low tempo start against Cheltenham the match started at a ferocious pace and Wanderers, who had toiled against the Robins before scoring the opener on the stroke of half-time, produced a goal of real quality to take the lead after seven minutes.

Saunders broke from the middle of the pitch and few Hayes before continuing his run and receiving a return pass as he made his way into the penalty area.

The midfielder held off the pursuing defender and sent a superb left-foot half volley flying past Christy Pym and into the bottom corner.

Holloway, who had started and been taken off in the last two games, had made a bright start to the game before his night was bought to a premature end when he limped off to be replaced by McClure.

Wycombe’s struggles on Tuesday nights were a distant memory in the first quarter of the match as they swarmed all over the visitors, comfortably dealing with the pace the Grecians possessed on the break.

The most potent threat to Wanderers’ automatic promotion hopes is their mounting injury list, and the treatment room had another visitor when McClure innocuously went down, couldn’t recover and the substitute had the ignominy of being substituted.

Onyedinma trotted on and Ainsworth had been forced to use two of his substitutes before the half hour mark had been reached.

The away fans understandably subdued given their team’s display and they vented their frustrations at the referee when he failed to award a penalty as Alex Nicholls tumbled under the slightest of contact from Ingram.

While Paul Tisdale was more than matching his opposite number in the style stakes – donning a smart three piece suit – the same could not be said of his team and their forays into Wycombe’s half were few and far between.

The hosts were firmly in control but the two changes had seemingly disrupted their flow going forward and, bar a wayward shot from Onyedinma, the remainder of the first half passed without major incident.

Exeter had mustered one shot on target in the first 45 minutes but they showed attacking intent shortly after the restart when a fierce goalbound drive from Nicholls required a brave block from Yennaris.

Minutes later Wanderers fans were subjected to another worrying sight, this time it was Alfie Mawson who collapsed in a heap on the floor and required several minutes of treatment.

The home faithful chanted his name in a bid to entice him back onto the pitch and their pleas worked as he trotted back on, but only after Sercombe had forced Ingram into a low save with a right-foot drive.

Tisdale shuffled his pack on the hour mark, making a double change with Tom Nichols and David Wheeler coming on for Nicholls and Graham Cummins.

The game needed a spark and it nearly got one thanks to a loose pass from Jordan Moore-Taylor. It was intended for centre back partner Christian Ribeiro but instead picked out Hayes, who fed it first time through to Craig but the striker was muscled off the ball by the retreating Ribeiro.

Wanderers were inviting pressure on themselves but almost had the perfect release for the tension that was building around Adams Park when Aaron Pierre sent a header narrowly wide from a Saunders’ free-kick.

Holmes had been a tormenting Yennaris in the second half and it was his sweet left foot that created the leveller for City.

As the clock ticked into the 76th minute he once again stole a yard on his maker and whipped in a superb cross which flew across the six-yard line before being met by the head of Sercombe.

Wanderers were clearly tiring and the visitors nearly turned the game on its head completely when Sercombe raced through the heart of the defence, shaped to shoot and was only denied by a superb covering tackle from Yennaris.

Saunders was the hosts’ shining light and he came close to hauling his loan club in front with just six minutes left. The midfielder embarked on a jinking run, shimmying his way past two men before firing a right-footed effort narrowly wide of the post.

Ainsworth winced again as Yennaris stayed down after making a crucial sliding tackle in the box. The full-back was watching from the side of the pitch as Ingram produced a splendid reflex save to deny Exeter a winner in the fifth minute of added time as he thrust his hand up to deny Nichols.

Wanderers were on the back foot but incredibly they could have been celebrating a dramatic winner when Hayes sent Saunders through on goal as Wycombe broke quickly on the counter-attack.

The Brentford loanee composed himself before attempting to lob the ball over the onrushing Pym. His effort seemed to be in the air for an eternity before landing on the roof of the net, much to the agony of the home fans.

What happened next was not in the script. The game had reached its 102nd minute when Pierre tumbled in the box under a challenge from Ribeiro. The referee pointed to the spot amid jubilation from most inside the ground.

Adams Park fell silent as Hayes waited an age before running up to the ball and slamming it past a despairing ‘keeper. The promotion dream which looked to be taking a hit seconds earlier, now seemed closer than ever as the final whistle sounded.

Wanderers: Ingram, Yennaris, Pierre, Mawson, Wood, Bloomfield, Saunders, Holloway (McClure, Onyedinma), Murphy, Hayes, Craig (Ephraim)
Substitutes not used: Lynch, Flecther, Bean,
Goals: Saunders 7, Hayes pen 102,

Exeter: Pym, Ribeiro, McAllister, Moore-Taylor, Oakley, Davies (Morrison), Sercombe, Harley, Holmes, Nicholls (Nichols), Cummins (Wheeler),
Substitutes not used: Hamon, Butterfield, Bennett, Keohane, Nichols, Wheeler,
Goals: Sercombe 76,

Attendance: 3,245 (284 Exeter)