The League Two Play-Off Final
Saturday, May 28th: Torquay United v Stevenage (at Old Trafford), k-o 15.00.
Sixth will play seventh as both the higher placed teams failed in their efforts to escape the bottom tier.
Oh well, at least we can say hi to Matt Harrold again if he returns to Roots Hall with the Shrews next season!
Top Seven# Team Pl W D L F A W D L F A W D L F A Pts EP 1 [P] Chesterfield 46 16 3 4 59 31 8 11 4 26 20 24 14 8 85 51 86 +34 2 [P] Bury 46 11 6 6 35 23 12 6 5 47 27 23 12 11 82 50 81 +32 3 [P] Wycombe Wanderers 46 12 6 5 38 25 10 8 5 31 25 22 14 10 69 50 80 +19 4 Shrewsbury Town 46 11 9 3 36 18 11 4 8 36 31 22 13 11 72 49 79 +23 5 Accrington Stanley 46 15 5 3 53 24 3 14 6 20 31 18 19 9 73 55 73 +18 6 Stevenage 46 9 11 3 37 24 9 4 10 25 21 18 15 13 62 45 69 +17 7 Torquay United (-1) 46 10 8 5 36 22 7 10 6 38 31 17 18 11 74 53 68 +21 
Lathrope: Shields ball from Davies
Torquay drew 0-0 at Shrewsbury to book a showdown with Stevenage in the League Two play-off final at Old Trafford on May 28.
The Gulls carried a 2-0 advantage into the semi-final second leg from last Saturday's encounter at Plainmoor, but Shrews simply failed to do enough on home soil to threaten the aggregate scoreline.
Graham Turner's side struggled to create a single opportunity of note - indeed it was the visitors who enjoyed the better of what chances there were at the Greenhous Meadow, Chris Zebroski and Gavin Tomlin going closest.
It proved a disappointing way for Shrews to mark their 125th anniversary and the pre-match balloons and cake failed to inspire a turnaround, leaving them to reflect on a third failed play-off campaign in five seasons having narrowly missed out on automatic promotion.
Torquay, who finished the regular season in sixth, are now 90 minutes from promotion to the third tier in only their second season back in the Football League, registering what would be an impressive turnaround since being relegated from League One in 2005.
Gulls boss Paul Buckle kept faith with the same XI who triumphed in the first leg, while Shrews counterpart Turner made just the one change - winger Lionel Ainsworth coming in for striker James Collins, who dropped to the bench.
Town skipper Ian Sharps proved his fitness after thigh and groin problems and the influential centre-back showed his worth after just five minutes, getting across to block Jake Robinson - on a six-month loan from Shrews but eligible to feature against his parent club - after he found himself bearing down on goal having dispossessed right-back Jermaine Grandison.
All in all, the opening quarter was a frantic, scrappy affair with no inch given by either side.
Torquay's Scott Bevan was only called upon to keep out a couple of speculative efforts while the visitors threatened but lacked cutting edge in the final third - most notably when Tomlin flashed a low teasing ball right across the face of goal.
Zebroski forced the game's first real save in the 33rd minute, turning Nicky Wroe 25 yards out and slamming a fierce drive goalwards which Ben Smith palmed to safety.
Shrewsbury, toothless in attack, certainly started the second half with much more purpose but it was Torquay who should have put the tie beyond doubt in the 50th minute.
As in the first half, Grandison was caught in possession and Eunan O'Kane sent Tomlin through, he turned Shane Cansdell-Sherriff but could only curl his effort wide of the far post.
It was a more open affair after the break, but still, neither keeper was being tested enough.
Grandison blocked Robinson's goalbound effort before Tomlin blazed another clear opening wide with 20 minutes remaining.
Wroe, former Torquay captain, drilled a long-range effort which forced Bevan to tip over in the 88th minute but it was far too little too late as Shrews finished the campaign with a real whimper.
Gulls boss Paul Buckle told www.skysports.com: "I've insisted they don't celebrate tonight because we want to celebrate at Old Trafford. They'll be looking forward to it, and I think they'll grace it, because we can play. We can certainly pass the ball and are technically very good. With the work rate we've got it makes us very dangerous. But we know we've got a job on, Stevenage are a good side so we take nothing for granted. Getting the club back into the Football League was massive. We've put the pride back in the shirt and are now playing a good brand of football. So we're now desperate to play in League One."
While in defeat Shrews boss Graham Turner said: "Quite simply we weren't good enough tonight to break them down. The damage was done in the first leg at their place. Overall we've had a decent season. To finish fourth was a reasonable achievement due to all the changes there's been at the club.There's some very disappointed young players in the dressing room, but we've got to pick ourselves up and start all over again now."
Murphy: Tackles Brady
Stevenage are on course for their second promotion in 12 months after beating nine-man Accrington 1-0 to reach the League Two play-off final.
Graham Westley guided the Hertfordshire club into the Football League for the first time in their history last season and his men now stand 90 minutes from reaching the third tier of English football.
Having arrived at the Crown Ground with a 2-0 first-leg advantage courtesy of goals from midfielders Stacy Long and Joel Byrom, Stevenage snatched a late winner through substitute Chris Beardsley.
The visitors defended superbly throughout to restrict John Coleman's side - who had left-back Joe Jacobson and midfielder Sean McConville sent off in the final quarter of the match - to few genuine goalscoring opportunities.
And Beardsley fired home from close range in the dying embers of a game marred by a niggling undercurrent both on the pitch and on the touchline.
The hosts, backed by a vociferous home crowd, fashioned a series of half-chances but rarely looked like making them pay.
In the ninth minute Luke Joyce crossed dangerously for Terry Gornell to shoot goalwards and four minutes later, Jimmy Ryan saw a fierce right-footed shot direct from a corner blocked.
Accrington continued to probe and in the 24th minute Ian Craney shot wide when well placed.
A series of late challenges and minor flare-ups marred proceedings but Stevenage began to signal their own threat as the interval approached.
Four minutes before the break Long showed delightful skill to outfox an Accrington defender before firing a left-footed shot wide from 14 yards.
Two minutes later, skipper Mark Roberts hit a volley from distance which flashed just past Alex Cisak's right-hand post.
In the 58th minute, McConville's diving header from close range drew a smart stop from Stevenage stopper Chris Day.
Midfielder Darren Murphy went close twice in quick succession with long-range strikes and in the 69th minute Jacobson was shown a straight red for a heavy challenge on Laurie Wilson.
McConville saw red for violent conduct a minute later after becoming embroiled in a fracas.
And Stevenage went on to claim a winner in the last minute when Beardsley swept home Wilson's low cross with a low right-footed shot.
Boro boss Graham Westley also spoke to Sky Sports: "We're not here to win our way into the final, we want to win promotion"They've come here tonight and done a good solid, strong and organised job over the two games. We've been resilient in defence and done enough going forward. They deserve credit, but the focus has to be on winning the final. I think there was a lot of discipline. The players worked very hard and it's just rewards that they are in with a chance of winning promotion. Our focus is always on our performance. The lads had to work very, very hard. I think they performed well out there this evening. There's no point in getting carried away. There's a lot of hard work ahead. I know we can win the game."
While Stanley boss John Coleman discussed his side's two red cards: "I'd have to see them both again. Sean's raised his hands so you can have no complaints at that. I think the disappointing thing is that he's been stamped on, which has caused him to raise his hands. With Joe's I'd have to see it again. If it's a dangerous challenge then those are the things that should be outlawed. A lot of things went on tonight. Some punished, some unpunished. We knew what to expect so we've got no complaints over the two ties. I think they deserved to go through. We needed to score tonight. We had a couple of half chances. I don't think I've ever seen a game like the first half. It was bordering on pantomime. I can't remember the last time there were seven minutes added on. Fair play to Stevenage. They came with a game plan. I can't believe they got away with it. The last thing I want to do is moan about officials. We're not in the final because we didn't show up in the first leg. I hope they go on and win it now."
And anyone who was at Roots Hall for the Stevenage game will know what Coleman is saying, if you believe in football then the neutral's support should go to Torquay for the final promotion place.
(Reports supplied by www.teamtalk.com)
Peterborough beat MK Dons in the League One Play-Offs to face Peter Clarke's Huddersfield in the Final, more on that later along with an update on Mark Gower and his Swansea side's march to the Championship Play-Off Final on the May Bank Holiday Monday at Wembley Stadium.
The First Legs:
www.southendunited-mad.co.uk/sngl/ed54/
playoff_passion_torquay_united_stevenage_on_top_
afc_wimbledon_luton_town_both_hope_678017/index.shtml
League Two crowds are up:
www.southendunited-mad.co.uk/feat/edy4/
league_two_bucks_falling_gates_trend_with_8_increase_
in_201011_as_shrimpers_finish_sixth_678616/index.shtml