Notts County have sealed the most dramatic playoff comeback in history
Notts County delivered one of the most dramatic comebacks in play-off history, as they scored at the end of normal time and extra time, to defeat Boreham Wood.
After narrowly missing out on the title, and an automatic route out of non-league football, County were forced into the play-off picture with six other sides.
They had the pleasure of hosting Boreham Wood, the team who finished the league in six, and had beaten local rivals Barnet in the previous round.
Goals late in the first half, from Femi Ilasemi and Lee Ndlovu, the latter deep into injury time, gave the visitors a lead that looked like it would be enough.
The dream lives on for @Official_NCFC 🖤
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) May 7, 2023
From two goals down, Luke Williams' side hit back to secure victory in the final minute of extra-time. pic.twitter.com/QUdG7GPd9E
The hosts did pull one back through Aden Baldwin, just two minutes into the second half, before they had the chance to equalise from the penalty spot.
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However, Joe McDonnell, who signed for 'Wood on an emergency loan deal just a few days ago, saved the spot kick low to his left.
It looked like it would be heartbreak for County, but, deep in injury time, Baldwin scored his second of the day to take it to extra time.
Things looked like they couldn't get much more dramatic, apart from the penalty shoot-out which looked inevitable, only for Jodi Jones to score in the 120th minute, sending the home support into raptures.
THE NATIONAL LEAGUE DELIVERS AGAIN! ❤️
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) May 7, 2023
Jodi Jones scores in the 120th minute to send @Official_NCFC to @TheVanaramaNL play-off final. pic.twitter.com/4DYlT5h9Sm
Most teams earning 107 points in a league season would expect to win the title, and earn automatic promotion to the league above.
Unfortunately for Notts County, however, there is only one automatic promotion place in the National League, which went to Wrexham.
Having beaten their rivals to the title by four points, even Wrexham co-owner Ryan Reynolds pointed out how terrible it was that there was only one automatic promotion place.
However, that cruel reality meant that Luke Williams side had to drop down into the play-offs, at least getting a bye into the sem-final stage.
There they met Boreham Wood, who beat Barnet in the quarters, a side who finished closer to relegation than they did their opponents on Sunday.
Luke Gerrard's team had also looked like opening the door for their opponents to potentially win the league, on the penultimate weekend of the season.
They faced Wrexham at the Racecourse Ground, with the Welsh side knowing a win would seal the title, only for Ndlovu to score after 41 seconds.
Signed on an emergency loan two days ago, denies Rúben Rodrigues from the spot! 🔥
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) May 7, 2023
Welcome to @BOREHAM_WOODFC, Joe McDonnell 👏 pic.twitter.com/vGh5DKLTAt
That match ultimately went the way of Wrexham, but perhaps it gave hope to the Hertfordshire side that they could bloody the noses of a side who'd earned more than 100 points in the league.
They were given far more encouragement when going 2-0 up in the first half, and the side who would have gone up as champions in every other National League season must have been fearing the worst.
Wood themselves would have been panicking when they conceded so early at the start of the second half and then gave away a penalty.
It looked like they would hold on, but maybe the issue was that they began bringing off all their attacking players late on, to defend the lead.
Baldwin took advantage of that to earn the extra 30 minutes, and then Jones, with the help of poor keeping by McDonnell, meant that it's County who make the final.
They will head to Wembley, where they'll meet either Chesterfield or Bromley, with the chance to return Wrexham in League Two on the line.
Topics: Football, Non-League, League Two
Ryan Sidle