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| 1993-1994-RESULTS, SCORERS, ATTENDANCES - MORE REPORTS | 1993-1994 RETRO INDEX |
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Wycombe Wanderers 2 Carlisle United 0 Saturday 18th December 1993 Football League Division Three 
After the disappointment of losing their unbeaten away record in Division Three, Wanderers got back to winning ways with 2-0 victory over Carlisle United at Adams Park on Saturday 18th December 1993. Supporters Player of the Month for November, Terry Evans, opened the scoring for Wycombe on 14 minutes when he headed home a Steve Guppy free-kick from the right. The lead was doubled six minutes later when Tony Hemmings managed to lay the ball back from the right bye-line to Dave Carroll who crossed for Keith Ryan to tuck in at the far post. Paul Hyde was in top form to prevent the visitors getting back into the game as Wanderers earned a comfortable victory to remain in 5th place in the table with 34 points from 19 games.The result would have pleased Wanderers fans but more importantly Martin O'Neill who had been upset by reports of some so called Wycombe fans during the defeat at Chester the previous weekend. He took this subject up in his programme notes for the Carlisle game. Read O'Neill's notes as published in chairboys.co.uk ten year retro for 1993/94 Meanwhile, ahead of Wanderers busy holiday programme of games, tickets for the Third Round FA Cup tie with Norwich City at Adams Park on 8th January 1994 had sold out following the release on general sale of the 1,500 tickets remaining after season ticket holder allocations. A newly revised capacity of just over 8,000 had been set for the tie with The Canaries taking up 2,000 terrace tickets and 300 seats. Extended highlights of the match would be shown on Match of the Day. In the League, Wanderers were due to travel to Torquay United on 27th December and then host Rochdale the following day. On New Years Days they would travel to Walsall, before entertaining Hereford United on 3rd January, just five days before taking on Norwich in the Cup.
Bucks Free Press - Nick Goodman reporting from Adams Park: Terry Evans’ classy performance in the heart of Wycombe’s defence helped Blues chisel Out an unconvincing win before a festive 5,044 pre Christmas crowd. Captain Evans, voted player of the month for the second time in a row, scored Wanderers’ first and then cajoled the back four into long periods of second-half resistance as Carlisle gained the upper hand. Wycombe, passing the ball crisply, had surged into a 2-0 lead within 20 minutes. But thereafter Carlisle had enough possession to have jolted Blues, still fifth in Division Three. Although there was not enough attacking, flowing football to please the pundits who had opted for live sport instead of Christmas shopping on a cheerless afternoon, Blues’ defensive efforts were immense. “They had a lot of possession in the second half” conceded Blues manager Martin O’Neill. “We went 2-0 up and were quite comfortable. “We didn’t play well in the second half. I think it had a lot to do with Tuesday night when we played for two hours. It went into extra time and was quite gruelling.” With winger Steve Guppy and midfielder Hakan Hayrettin dropping for defensive duties, it wasn’t just the backline containing Carlisle, seventh from bottom. “I think we did fine defensively but Paul Hyde made two fantastic saves,” added O’Neill. Carlisle’s spearhead was blunted when they lost Deiniol Graham, on loan from Barnsley, after 26 minutes with an injured knee. “We lost the game in the first 20 minutes — it’s as simple as that,” remarked Mick Wadsworth, Carlisle’s director of coaching. “I thought after that we did okay and were as good as Wycombe. But very little pleased me from today. The bad things far outweighed the good things.” The Cumbrians were slow to get into the game as Wanderers played the ball to feet in some good build-ups. Midfielder Keith Ryan fired narrowly over on three minutes but at the other end Evans had to deftly flick a header back to Hyde as Carlisle pressed. Blues deservedly took the lead on 14 minutes. David McCreery, Carlisle’s player- coach, fouled Hayrettin. Guppy delivered a lovely free kick and Evans rose superbly to powerfully head home his fifth goal of the season. Wanderers kept up the pressure and made it 2-0 on 20 minutes. Hayrettin found Tony Hemmings with a lovely ball. Hemmings intelligently laid it off to Dave Carroll and he swung in the cross which Ryan dispatched with a flourish. Then Wycombe eased off the accelerator and Carlisle began to look useful. David Reeves fired in a hard, low cross from the left which captain Simon Davey nearly connected with. Carlisle’s best effort arrived on 28 minutes. Rod Thomas, an England under-2l international, cracked an angled shot which Hyde turned away for a corner. Referee Roger Wiseman awarded Carlisle a free kick after it appeared that Hemmings had been impeded. Tony Gallimore swung this in and Davey stole in unmarked only for the ball to go to safety. Three minutes before the break Thomas created a chance only for Darren Edmondson to head wide. Wanderers made a positive start to the second half, Ryan sending in a shot from outside the area, saved by keeper Tony Elliott. But Carlisle resumed their forays into Wycombe territory, only to be let down by a poor final ball. Reeves worked himself into a good position only to send his cross behind the goal. Dave Burgess did pick out Thomas in a congested penalty area. But there was not enough room for him to get in a shot. Thomas, though, did crack a good 57th-minute shot which Hyde saved. And Hyde needed to be at his best to keep out Edmondson’s well- struck effort, at the expense of a corner. Wycombe then counter-attacked beautifully, with Hayrettin releasing Tim Langford. But Langford fired over. Wanderers then might have scored a third in a frantic few minutes. Evans’ header hit the bar, and both Hemmings and Langford went close. Carlisle were still in the hunt and Thomas’ long- range drive brought a save from Hyde. They won a useful position in the last minute after substitute George Oghani was fouled just outside the area. But Gallimore sent the free kick well over the bar. It had been spartan Christmas fare, like turkey without the trimmings, but a creditable victory on a day when Blues struggled to reach fifth gear. |
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