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2001 Football League Second Division play off Final

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Date
  
27 May 2001

Attendance
  
50,496

Referee
  
E. K. Wolstenholme

Venue
  
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

The 2001 Football League Division Two play-off Final was contested by Walsall and Reading. It was the first season that the play-off Finals were contested in Cardiff's Millennium Stadium following the demolition of Wembley.

Contents

Route to the Final

  • Reading: Reading beat Wigan 2-1 on aggregate after a 0-0 draw and a 2-1 second leg win.
  • Walsall: Walsall beat Stoke 4-2 at Home in the second leg, after 0-0 draw at Stoke's Britannia Stadium.
  • Match Summary

    Reading scored the opening goal from a throw in. Jamie Cureton's volley crept in underneath Walsall goalkeeper Jimmy Walker. Don Goodman scored the leveler for Walsall just after half-time to take the game into extra-time.

    Reading made a storming start to extra-time with, ex-Walsall striker, Martin Butler scoring a header inside the first 2 minutes. A treble substitution by Walsall manager Ray Graydon on 98 minutes changed the game. Walsall's Dean Keates forced an own-goal by Reading's Tony Rougier on 107 minutes. Walsall nicked it 2 minutes later virtue of a stunning turn and shot from substitute Darren Byfield.

    References

    2001 Football League Second Division play-off Final Wikipedia