The Wycombe v Charlton League One playoff semi final 1st leg was a “cagey affair” with heated scenes and some controversy.
It ended in a 0-0 draw at Adams Park, so all to play for in the 2nd leg at The Valley this week, but the game on Sunday evening was a tense, scrappy nature with few clear chances.
Both teams were cautious, with Wycombe’s early pressure led by Daniel Udoh’s shot, saved by Charlton’s Will Mannion, and Charlton’s late efforts from Matty Godden and Greg Docherty, denied by Wycombe’s Will Norris.
The match saw heated moments, Wycombe’s Richard Kone and Charlton’s Macaulay Gillesphey pushing each other, then a melee leading to bookings for Wycombe’s Xavier Simons and Charlton’s Docherty.
Controversy arose over Kone’s challenge on Charlton’s Kayne Ramsay, which many felt warranted a red card but went unpunished, here’s what Charlton fans are saying…
That’s a red IMO. Hilarious the ref was hesitating for a yellow #CAFC pic.twitter.com/GSLuhbdjlI
— Tash Everitt (@natashaeveritt7) May 11, 2025
Talking of red cards 🫣😬 pic.twitter.com/UkhIMrVTCT
— AJ Owen (@AOR_Official123) May 11, 2025
Erm….. WTF #cafc 🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️ pic.twitter.com/wu5V0vMt83
— Tim Edwins (@TimEdwins7) May 11, 2025
Fair to say a lot has gone on in terms of officiating this week. pic.twitter.com/wuY6uw9VlZ
— Cafc_josh🇩🇪🇳🇬🏴 (@CafcJ76489) May 11, 2025
Wycombe boss Mike Dodds told BBC Three Counties Radio:
“Two really good teams cancelled each other out I think.
“When you play a Nathan Jones team they are so aggressive in the first phase we didn’t want to give them the momentum in terms of making too many passes in front of them which probably contributed to the fact it was quite messy at times.
“You need a moment and it didn’t land for them and it didn’t land for us.
“They’ve had one big chance and we’ve had one and it was a really tight, even contest.”
Dodds on Sky Sports Football:
“I felt we were really good out of possession and I have to admit, I thought they were really well organised. I’ve been involved in a few of those games where it will come down to a moment; we had a big chance early on with Dan Udoh, they had a chance at the end where Will [Norris] has pulled off a really good save.
“It certainly wasn’t a game for the purists. I’m not going to sit here and deny that! But when you play against a Nathan Jones team, you’ve got to make sure you do the nuts and bolts and I felt we did that. We probably needed a moment of quality at times, and we didn’t have that, but we’ve given ourselves a real opportunity.
“We’ve got a really strong away record and we back ourselves in terms of being organised at The Valley.”
Charlton boss Nathan Jones told BBC Radio London:
“It was a tough game, a war of attrition.
“We defended our box excellently and I felt we finished really strongly.
“It’s evenly poised and it’s not a bad place to be. We’ve got to win a home game to get to Wembley and I think we’d have taken that.
“I’m really proud of the performance because we showed a resilience. Would I have liked us to play a bit more and create a bit more and show a bit more quality? Yes.”
Jones on Sky Sports Football
“It was a cagey affair. A tight first game where no one wanted to give too much away. They came out with a front three with pace and power and tried to play into them at every opportunity. It was difficult to get any rhythm, but I’m really pleased, really proud of how we stood up to everything they did.
“We’ve come away from home, we’ve kept a clean sheet and we finished really strongly – and that’s the real positive for us.
“You’re not coming here and just roll Wycombe over and win 4-0 again. It’s a different game, they had a different mindset today in terms of how they played. It’s disrespectful to even think that of anyone. It wasn’t the prettiest advert for League One football, but the stakes are high.
“Now we start all over again and, for us, it’s as simple as having to win a home game.
“Our fans have been outstanding. They were noisy tonight and they filled that away end. It’s a different atmosphere on Thursday – we had 23-24,000 the other day and we expect more, so I think it’ll be a good atmosphere, good occasion. It’s evenly poised.”
“It’s a good result because we didn’t want to come here and lose.”
Nathan Jones describes the Wycombe vs Charlton match as a “cagey affair” 😤 pic.twitter.com/NlmHHJlIYV
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 11, 2025
“It was one of those games where both teams cancelled each other.”
Mike Dodds reflects on Wycombe’s goalless draw 🤝 pic.twitter.com/Z4lrncNA2P
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 11, 2025
This is how Twitter users reacted as the Wycombe v Charlton playoff 1st leg was described as a “cagey affair” with heated scenes and controversy…
@cafc73828: A scuffle started by Kone who should have been sent off beforehand? how did Kone not get a card for starting this scuffle I will never know
@Den_AFC: The follow up tackle is unnecessary and nowhere near the ball, red.
@natashaeveritt7: Let’s not ignore the elbow to the face on Macca as well
@cafcBrownsJFT97: Just watched the highlights. That Kone challenge looked bad enough in real time. He basically puts all his weight on Kayne’s calf, and then, as Kayne rolls over, goes studs-up into his shin for good measure. Diabolical, a coward’s challenge. Red card all day long. #cafc
@IanRobb84: The ref was poor once again, that and the challenge on Macca both worthy of red.
@andreally11: Ref pony from start to finish.
@CAFCAdam: Every single EFL playoff game has had a shocking refereeing decision so far. This surely can’t be the best officials they have to offer
@Rob_Waghorn: Thought Wycombe were awful, time wasting in there home tie. Ref was terrible and never seemed to be in the right position to give anything. We did not win enough second balls, don’t remember one tbh. If we had then we would have won the game. Looking forward to Thursday. #cafc
@cafcBrownsJFT97: That’ll do. Apart from Kone not being sent off I think that counts as mission accomplished. Wycombe will do well to keep calm on Thursday. They’ve never played in front of anything like a full Valley. They really don’t know what’s in store. #cafc
@10woz_: EFL refs are an absolute disgrace
@DanFinchy3: I don’t want to see prem fans saying their refs are shit.
@_SByrne: EFL officials showing brilliant consistency and replicating their dismal regular season form in the play-offs
@LewisH92: Mind boggling how that isn’t a red card?
