STEWART Castledine's first goal since his summer signing from Wimbledon rescued Wycombe from a Worthington Cup disaster against lower division Barnet on Tuesday.

STEWART Castledine's first goal since his summer signing from Wimbledon rescued Wycombe from a Worthington Cup disaster against lower division Barnet on Tuesday.

His 88th minute equaliser took the game into extra-time just as Barnet looked to have booked their place in the second round. Paul McCarthy finished the job in extra time.

Castledine, nicknamed Posh Spice by the players after pictures of his wedding to Channel Five presenter Lucy Alexander appeared in Hello magazine, volleyed home a cross from fellow sub Danny Senda.

Midfielder Castledine, who has yet to start for the Blues after a pre-season knock and a year of first team inacitivity at Wimbledon, was pressed into emergency service up front as Blues threw caution to the wind.

He took to it like a duck to water, scoring and coming close with two other efforts as he spiced up an attack which had been frustated by the brilliance of Barnet keeper Lee Harrison.

His goal was similar to Michael Owen's strike for England in Paris and sent out a message to boss Lawrie Sanchez.

Castledine said: 'It's been a bit frustrating not playing but the boss has been right to ease me in gently because I hardly played any football last year. I feel fit now and I'm confident that once I get into the team I can stay there.'

And his performance suggested he could be the short-term answer to Blues' scoring problems.

He said: 'I don't see any reason why I couldn't do a job up front. I've scored goals from midfield. I know where the goal is and if I was played up front I wouldn't let anyone down.'

Sanchez admitted: 'I don't think any of the other midfielders at the club could have scored that goal. He made his presence felt and could have had another one. He got us back in the game when we were dead and buried. He scores goals from midfield and that's what I got him for. I've got to try and get him into our formation without disrupting the passing we've got in the middle.'

Earlier Wanderers had looked as though they would not need Castledine as they took just 20 minutes to cancel out the 2-1 deficit from the first leg.

Mark Rogers won a tackle on the half way line and the excellent Dannie Bulman released Jermaine McSporran whose pace and right foot did the rest only to see Toby Richards' audacious lob square it again three minutes later.

Jason Cousins, McSporran and Andy Baird were all denied by Harrison's heroics before Castledine took the game into extra time.

Defender McCarthy settled the tie in the 105th minute when he got his head to Michael Simpson's free kick.