Peterborough United vs Wycombe Wanderers. EFL Trophy Final.
Wembley StadiumAttendance42,252.
Report and free match highlights from the Bristol Street Motors Trophy final between Peterborough United and Wycombe Wanderers at Wembley Stadium on Sunday | Harrison Burrows' dramatic late double seals second trophy win in a decade for Darren Ferguson's Posh
Sunday 7 April 2024 19:46, UK
Peterborough lifted the Bristol Street Motors Trophy for the second time, 10 years after their first triumph, after Harrison Burrows' brilliant late double earned a 2-1 win over Wycombe at Wembley.
It took until the 85th minute for Posh - who had a first-half penalty appeal turned down - to edge in front through captain Burrows' piledriver.
But within four minutes, substitute Dale Taylor volleyed the Chairboys level seconds after his introduction to seemingly leave extra-time a formality.
Yet in the first minute of second-half stoppage time, Burrows popped up again with a cross-come-shot that looped over goalkeeper Franco Ravizzolo and into the top left corner to secure the trophy for Darren Ferguson - who oversaw the win over Chesterfield 10 years and seven days earlier.
As with many Wembley finals in years gone by, the game started in a cagey manner as the teams settled into playing on the vast pitch and in front of a crowd of over 42,000, which included Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson - father of the Peterborough boss.
Wycombe have had plenty of experience at the national stadium in recent years and it showed, as they pressed high in order to try and prevent Peterborough playing out from the back and reaching their potent forward line.
Shots came at a premium in the first half-hour, but then the game started to come alive. Garath McCleary forced a last-ditch save from Jed Steer after an intuitive ball from Freddie Potts, while at the other end, Ricky-Jade Jones was denied by a superb block from Chris Forino, before Josh Knight flashed a header across the face of goal from the corner that followed.
Posh appealed for a penalty with seven minutes of the first half remaining, when Kwame Poku swept a shot towards goal that appeared to strike the hand of Luke Leahy as he made the block. Referee Scott Oldham seemingly did not spot it.
Shortly after the break, Hector Kyprianou got on the end of a trademark cross from Harrison Burrows, but put his header the wrong side of the post under pressure, and Wycombe even had the ball in the back of the net after 56 minutes, though Steer was adjudged to have been fouled before Kone hooked the ball into the empty net.
Peterborough had dominated the ball and it seemed as though it would just be a matter of time before their quality told, but the opener did not come until the last five minutes of the 90, when Burrows jinked to his left and fired in with power and via a slight deflection.
Their delight was shortlived, though. A free-kick from deep was headed away, with Taylor watching it all the way and lashing in on the volley to, naturally, give Wycombe hope.
That, too, was dashed shortly after, though. Peterborough made sure of the victory in the 91st minute when Burrows - whether he meant it or not - found the top corner as the final ended in the most dramatic fashion.
Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson:
"We didn't start well. In the first 20 minutes, we didn't have any rhythm to our game. They are such a hard team to play against. Matt's done such a great job and they never give in, that team. Even when it went to 2-1, I thought 'we're not done yet', but, overall, I thought we deserved to win it. If you come to Wembley, win.
"I said before the game, the only opportunity at our level to get to Wembley is the play-offs or this tournament. They can celebrate tonight. They've got to celebrate these things and I'll celebrate with them - but we won't go mad as we'll be in tomorrow.
"The main thing is the league and this is a bonus. We think we've still got a chance [of automatic promotion]. We're going to have to go some, but it's about winning the next league game, which is Wednesday."
Wycombe manager Matt Bloomfield:
"I reflect with pride in the performance - I thought we were absolutely excellent. With the tactical information we got in the boys this week, I thought they carried out the gameplan. We got ourselves back level and had high hopes from there, but sometimes it's not meant to be.
"Take nothing away from Peterborough, I think it was a fantastic advert for League One football, with two really good teams trying to play the right brands of football, trying to create and I thought we were excellent, but equally Peterborough had their chances.
"When a goal like that goes in against you, it's a cruel feeling for it to decide the game and for it to be so long and you don't have a chance to come back. It was obviously not meant to be for us today."
Both teams are straight back into Sky Bet League One action in three days' time on Wednesday April 10 at 7.45pm.
Automatic promotion-chasing Peterborough host Port Vale at the Weston Homes Stadium, while Wycombe welcome second-placed Derby to Adams Park.
