National League play-offs: Notts County complete remarkable comeback to reach Wembley

Notts County edged past Boreham Wood on Sunday
Notts County edged past Boreham Wood on Sunday / Cameron Smith/GettyImages
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Notts County made an incredible comeback to beat Boreham Wood in extra time of their National League play-off semi final on Sunday afternoon and keep alive their hopes of returning to the English Football League.

Notts were involved in the National League title scrap for the majority of the season but eventually fell behind champions Wrexham and were forced to accept a spot in the semi finals with only first place going up automatically.

The two sides were separated by a whopping 35 points and Boreham Wood had to overcome Barnet previously to make the final four, but that didn't stop them taking a shock 2-0 lead before half time.

Femi Ilesanmi opened the scoring in the 37th minute, converting George Broadbent's cross, before Lee Ndlovu pounced on a poor John Bostock pass to run in and double the visitors' lead.

Aden Baldwin halved the deficit with an accurate strike from distance before visiting goalkeeper Joe McDonnell - signed on an emergency loan recently from Eastleigh - saved Ruben Rodrigues' effort from the penalty spot.

County managed to salvage extra time with a 97-minute equaliser as Baldwin got his second, stooping to head in Jodi Jones' fired cross.


Read more on the play-off hunt across the EFL

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It was Jones who proved to be the home side's saviour at the end of the second period of extra time. The 25-year-old thumped a left-footed shot which McDonnell could only fumble into the roof of the net, sending Meadow Lane into a frenzy and County into the play-off final at Wembley.

It made for similar reading for County fans, who only last year saw their side lose at home in the play-offs last season. Dramatic late goals for Grimsby Town in the 96th and 119th minutes saw County knocked out in the quarter-finals after finishing fifth.

Luke Williams' side now have a trip to Wembley to look forward to and will face the winners of the second semi final between Chesterfield and Bromley, which takes place later on Sunday.