Saturday 25th January 1997
Football League Division Two
WYCOMBE 3 YORK CITY 1
The yo-yo emotions continued for Wycombe fans on Saturday as Paul Read marked his home debut with 2 goals to help his new team to a 3-1 victory over fellow
strugglers York City. Wycombe may have played better and lost this season but this is about survival and against a side with similar problems to Wycombe the three points were a necessity.
John Gregory stuck with the same side that had performed so badly at Rotherham the week before and saw them take the lead with their first serious attack - a high ball from the right from Cousins being met by Paul READ whose return header looped over Tim Clarke in the York goal - that will do nicely. Read tokk less than 2 games to open his account, meanwhile Neil Davis continued his bleak spell (he hasn't scored in 14 appearances for Wycombe), when after 16 minutes he took the ball from midfield, beat a defender and then saw his shot well blocked by Clarke. York, sensing Wycombe's lack of confidence, began to press themselves. On 23 minutes Mickey Bell was forced to turn a left wing corner away, then 4 minutes later Neil Campbell saw a header tipped around the post following another move on the left. From the resulting corner Alan Pouton pulled the trigger from 25 yards but his effort went high and wide, as he did his best impression of a Wycombe forward. Pouton had another effort go wide on 29 minutes - this time Cheesewright turning the ball around the post for another corner as McCarthy, Kavanagh and Co did there best to cause heart failures in the Wycombe crowd.
Half-time Wycombe 1 York 0
The Wycombe forward line began to show a glimmer of understanding as the second-half progressed. On 52 minutes Bell crossed from the right, Carroll hooked the ball back, Read swivelled and shot but Davis couldn't snap up the loose ball. 2 minutes later, however, Wycombe increased their lead as the ball broke to Carroll out on the right - he delivered and Michael FORSYTH was on hand to slide the ball home from 6 yards in front of a delighted Valley End. That goal should have sealed the game, but as Wycombe closed ranks York gained confidence, culminating in Neil CAMPBELL heading home from 10 yards in the 72nd minute after a left wing cross. Terry Evans replaced McCarthy on 76 minutes and broke his own personel record by getting booked within 30 seconds for a foul on the goalscorer. Evans and Wycombe nearly paid dearly for his rash challenge when Nigel Pepper sent in a low drive from the resulting move - luckily for Wycombe it flashed by Cheesewright's left hand upright. As York seeked the equalser, the chances opened for Wycombe but another unhappy day for Davis's was summed up in the 79th minute when he mis-controlled badly 25 yards in front of goal - a minute later Gregory had sent DeSouza on in his place with most of the crowd contemplating if the Manager will sign the Villa player or not. Within a minute of DeSouza's introduction he combined with Read but an off-form McGavin failed to control from inside the box. York never threatened again and it was left for READ to take the cheers in the final minute when he showed how it should be done in front of goal. Finding himself through on the 'keeper, he beat the 'keeper (yes it can be done) and slotted the ball home from just inside the box - game over - 3 points - thank-you very much. Read's reward for scoring was to be substituted as Gregory gave the crowd the chance to thank their new hero.
Could this be the turning point? Have we found someone who can score goals? Well let's not get too excited yet. This is how the bottom of the table looks now.
Team Played Won Drawn Lost For Against Points
York City 27 8 6 13 28 42 30
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Peterborough United 27 6 11 10 39 45 29
Wycombe Wanderers 27 7 5 15 26 41 26
Notts County 27 5 9 13 20 33 24
Rotherham United 27 4 9 14 24 42 21
WYCOMBE TEAM: Cheesewright, Cousins, Bell, Kavanagh, McCarthy (sub 76 Evans), Forsyth, Carroll, Davis (sub 80 Desouza), Read (sub 90 Lawrence), McGavin, Simpson. subs not used:Evans, DeSouza and Lawrence Att:4,193
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