2016 Football League Two play-off final

November 2017 January 2021 2016 Football League Two play-off final File:Wembley-Stadion 2013.jpg The match took place at Wembley Stadium. 2015–16 Football League Two Plymouth Argyle 0 AFC Wimbledon 2 30 May 2016 Wembley Stadium London Iain Williamson 57,956 2015 2017 The 2016 Football League Two play-off final was an association football match played on 30 May 2016 at Wembley Stadium, London, between Plymouth Argyle and AFC Wimbledon. The match determined the fourth and final team to gain promotion from Football League Two, English football's fourth tier, to Football League One. The top three teams of the 2015–16 Football League Two season gained automatic promotion to League One, while those placed from fourth to seventh in the table took part in play-off semi-finals; the winners of these semi-finals competed for the final place for the 2016–17 season in League One. Plymouth Argyle finished in fifth place while Wimbledon ended the season in seventh position. Accrington Stanley and Portsmouth were the losing semi-finalists. The final was played in front of 57,956 spectators and was refereed by Iain Williamson. The first half ended goalless, but in the 77th minute, substitute Adebayo Akinfenwa's first action was to help win a corner for Wimbledon, from which Lyle Taylor scored with a low shot past Luke McCormick. Ten minutes into stoppage time, Ade Azeez won a penalty which was scored by Akinfenwa to make it 2–0 which was the final score. It was Wimbledon's sixth promotion since the club's formation in 2002. Wimbledon ended their following season in fifteenth place in the League One table, while Plymouth finished the next season in second position to gain automatic promotion to League One for the 2017–18 season. Route to the final 2015–16 Football League Two main WDL Q right auto Football League Two final table, leading positions NOR OXF BRO ACC PLY POR WIM 29 12 5 82 46 24 14 8 84 41 26 7 13 77 46 24 13 9 74 48 24 9 13 72 46 21 15 10 75 44 21 12 13 64 50 Northampton Town Oxford United Bristol Rovers Accrington Stanley Plymouth Argyle Portsmouth AFC Wimbledon complete https://uk.soccerway.com/national/england/league-two/20152016/regular-season/ Soccerway 25 January 2021 League Two – 2015/2016 – Regular season Perform Group Plymouth Argyle finished the regular 2015–16 season in fifth place in Football League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system, two positions ahead of AFC Wimbledon. Both therefore missed out on the three automatic places for promotion to Football League One and instead took part in the play-offs to determine the fourth promoted team. Plymouth Argyle finished four points behind Bristol Rovers (who were promoted in third place), five behind Oxford United (promoted in second) and eighteen behind league winners Northampton Town. Wimbledon ended the season two places and six points behind Plymouth Argyle. Wimbledon's opponents in their play-off semi-final were Accrington Stanley with the first match of the two-legged tie being played on 14 May 2016 at Kingsmeadow in Greater London. After a goalless first half in which no shots on target were made by either side, Tom Beere's low shot three minutes into injury time beat Neil Etheridge in the Accrington goal to ensure the match ended 1–0. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36238786 AFC Wimbledon 1–0 Accrington Stanley BBC Sport 25 January 2021 Tom Garry 4 December 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20161204014843/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36238786 live The second leg of the semi-final play-off took place four days later at the Crown Ground in Accrington. Josh Windass levelled the tie with a penalty six minutes before half-time after Scott Brown was fouled. Piero Mingoia then put Accrington ahead on aggregate with a strike in the 59th minute. Midway through the second half, a header from Adebayo Akinfenwa made it 2–1 and with no further change to the scoreline, the game went into extra time. Lyle Taylor then scored after Etheridge had saved an effort from Jake Reeves, and Wimbledon progressed to the final with a 3–2 aggregate victory. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36263628 Accrington Stanley 2–2 Wimbledon BBC Sport 25 January 2021 Brendon Mitchell 18 May 2016 8 November 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201108190703/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36263628 live In the second play-off semi-final, Plymouth Argyle faced Portsmouth and the first leg was played at Fratton Park in Portsmouth on 12 May 2016. A strike from the edge of Plymouth's penalty area from Marc McNulty gave the home side a third-minute lead but Jamille Matt equalised six minutes later with a header. On 19 minutes, Matt put Plymouth ahead with an overhead kick. Six minutes after half-time, Peter Hartley fouled McNulty in the box, and Gary Roberts converted the subsequent penalty to make it 2–2. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36238819 Portsmouth 2–2 Plymouth Argyle 25 January 2021 BBC Sport Adam Williams 3 December 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20161203042313/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36238819 live The second leg was held at Home Park in Plymouth three days later. The home side dominated the game but did not score until injury time in the second half when Hartley converted Graham Carey's corner. The match ended 1–0 giving Plymouth a 3–2 aggregate win and progression to the play-off final at Wembley. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36240107 Plymouth Argyle 1–0 Portsmouth 25 January 2021 BBC Sport Brent Pilnick 15 May 2016 4 December 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201204152851/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36240107 live Match Background Prior to the final, the teams had faced each other three times during the season. Plymouth had won the league match at Kingsmeadow in August 2015, followed by victory there in the EFL Trophy the following month. Wimbledon won the other league fixture between the sides, with a 2–1 victory in April 2016. https://www.11v11.com/teams/plymouth-argyle/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/AFC%20Wimbledon/ 11v11 25 January 2021 AFS Enterprises Plymouth Argyle football club: record v AFC Wimbledon 17 August 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150817062844/http://www.11v11.com/teams/plymouth-argyle/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/AFC%20Wimbledon live AFC Wimbledon fans were allocated the West End of Wembley, while Plymouth Argyle supporters were seated in the East End. The referee for the match was Iain Williamson, assisted by Ron Ganfield and Paul Marsden. Tim Robinson was the fourth official and the reserve assistant referee was Tom Bramall. https://www.efl.com/news/2016/may/sky-bet-league-2-play-off-final---key-information/ English Football League 25 January 2021 Sky Bet League 2 Play-Off Final – Key Information 26 May 2016 29 September 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200929173347/https://www.efl.com/news/2016/may/sky-bet-league-2-play-off-final---key-information/ live The live match was broadcast on Sky Sports in the UK, with highlights of the match shown later on Channel 5. Wimbledon wore all-blue kit with yellow trim while Plymouth played in green-and-white striped shirts, green shorts and green-and-white socks. Summary right|upright|thumb|alt=Adebayo Akinfenwa|Adebayo Akinfenwa (pictured in 2015) scored a penalty for Wimbledon ten minutes into second-half injury time. Plymouth Argyle kicked off the match at around 3p.m. in front of 57,956 spectators. In the seventh minute, a header from a deep free-kick was flicked on by Taylor but his shot was saved, and soon after Carey's shot flew over the Wimbledon crossbar. Six minutes later, a Taylor shot was deflected out for a corner which was cleared to Reeves whose volley went wide of the Plymouth goal. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/football/36165479?page=5 BBC Sport 25 January 2021 How AFC Wimbledon won promotion (5 of 7) 30 May 2016 Tom Garry In the 25th minute, Kelvin Mellor almost scored an own goal after deflecting a Wimbledon cross but the ball went wide, and Plymouth cleared the subsequent corner. Five minutes before half-time, a long-range strike from Callum Kennedy was saved by Luke McCormick in the Plymouth goal. After a minute of injury time, the referee blew the whistle to bring the half to an end with the score goalless. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/football/36165479?page=4 BBC Sport 25 January 2021 How AFC Wimbledon won promotion (4 of 7) 30 May 2016 Tom Garry The second half was kicked off by Wimbledon but the first chance fell to Plymouth on 47 minutes: a high cross intended for Jake Jervis was punched clear by Kelle Roos, the Wimbledon goalkeeper. Two minutes later, Carl McHugh's mis-hit pass almost beat his own goalkeeper but went wide for a corner. In the 56th minute, a shot from Andy Barcham was blocked before Tom Elliott headed over the bar from a Taylor cross. Gregg Wylde became the first player to be booked after being shown the yellow card for a foul on Wimbledon's Barry Fuller in the 63rd minute. Two minutes later, Carey's curling free kick from around 30 yd was saved by Roos, then Darius Charles was booked for a foul on Matt. On 68 minutes, Plymouth made their first substitution of the afternoon with Jervis being replaced by Craig Tanner. Soon after, Jonathan Meades came on to replace Connor Smith for Wimbledon. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/football/36165479?page=3 BBC Sport 25 January 2021 How AFC Wimbledon won promotion (3 of 7) 30 May 2016 Tom Garry In the 77th minute, Elliott left the pitch to be replaced by Akinfenwa whose first action a minute later was to help win a corner for Wimbledon, from which Taylor scored with a low shot past McCormick. The Plymouth goalkeeper made another save four minutes later before Reid came on to replace Wylde in the 83rd minute. Hartley was then injured in a clash with Akinfenwa and was stretchered off the pitch, and replaced by Jordon Forster. In the 90th minute, McCormick tipped away Akinfenwa's header to keep the score at 1–0, and the game went into seven minutes of injury time. Tanner was brought down in the 95th minute but the referee ignored appeals for a penalty from Plymouth before Taylor's weak shot after a one-on-one with McCormick was easily saved by the goalkeeper. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/football/36165479?page=2 BBC Sport 25 January 2021 How AFC Wimbledon won promotion (2 of 7) 30 May 2016 Tom Garry 28 November 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20191128160503/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/football/36165479/page/2 live Taylor was then replaced by Ade Azeez in Wimbledon's third substitution of the match. Ten minutes into stoppage time, Azeez won a penalty which was scored by Akinfenwa to make it 2–0 which was the final score. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/football/36165479?page=1 BBC Sport 25 January 2021 How AFC Wimbledon won promotion (1 of 7) 30 May 2016 Tom Garry Details 30 May 2016 15:00 AFC Wimbledon 2–0 Report Plymouth Argyle Taylor 78Akinfenwa 90+10 pen. Wembley Stadium, London 57,956 Iain Williamson _thinyellowborder _6thinyellowstripes _thinyellowborder _yellowbottom 0000ff 0000ff 0000ff 0000ff 0000ff AFC Wimbledon _plymouth1516h _plymouth1516h _plymouth1516h _plymouth1516h _plymouth1516hl 00563F 00563F 00563F 000000 FFFFFF Plymouth Argyle GK 29Kelle RoosRB 2Barry Fuller (c)CB 6Paul RobinsonCB 32Darius Charles 67LB 3Callum KennedyRM 18Connor Smith 69CM 4Dannie BulmanCM 8Jake ReevesLM 17Andy BarchamCF 9Tom Elliott 77CF 33Lyle Taylor 79 90+7Substitutes:GK 1James SheaDF 20Ryan SweeneyDF 12Jonathan Meades 69MF 11Sean RiggFW 14Ade Azeez 90+7FW 39Rhys MurphyFW 10Adebayo Akinfenwa 90+11 77Manager:Neal Ardley GK 23Luke McCormickRB 2Kelvin MellorCB 5Curtis Nelson (c)CB 6Peter Hartley 86LB 3Gary SawyerDM 4Carl McHughDM 20Hiram BoatengRW 14Jake Jervis 68AM 10Graham CareyLW 11Gregg Wylde 62 82CF 19Jamille MattSubstitutes:GK 31Vincent DorelDF 28Jordon Forster 86DF 16Ben PurringtonMF 32Jordan HoughtonFW 27Craig Tanner 68FW 15Tyler HarveyFW 9Reuben Reid 82Manager:Derek Adams Post match The scorer of Wimbledon's second goal, Akinfenwa revealed shortly after the end of the game that he had been released and that he was looking for a new club.https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36413941 Adebayo Akinfenwa: AFC Wimbledon icon released after play-off final win BBC Sport 30 May 2016 29 November 2017 30 May 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160530220854/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36413941 live It was Wimbledon's sixth promotion since the club's formation in 2002. Wimbledon ended their following season in fifteenth place in the League One table. https://www.11v11.com/teams/afc-wimbledon/tab/leagueTables/2017/ 11v11 AFS Enterprises 25 January 2021 League One table at close of 2016–17 season Plymouth finished the next season in second position in League Two to gain automatic promotion to League One for the 2017–18 season. https://uk.soccerway.com/national/england/league-two/20162017/regular-season/r36644/ Soccerway Perform Group 25 January 2021 League Two – 2016/2017 – Regular season 24 January 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210124161952/https://uk.soccerway.com/national/england/league-two/20162017/regular-season/r36644/ live References Play-off Final 2016 Play-off Final 2016 3 Category:EFL League Two play-off finals Football League Two play-off final Football League Two play-off final