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Also from 1998/99 RESULTS FINAL TABLE MAY '99 NEWS	On this page Sat 1st May 1999 WYCOMBE v Blackpool - Division Two Wed 5th May 1999 WYCOMBE v Wigan Athletic - Division Two Sat 8th May 1999 Lincoln City v WYCOMBE - Division Two

LINCOLN CITY v WYCOMBE Saturday 8th May 1999 - Division Two Close to 3,000 Wycombe fans were at Sincil Bank to see Lawrie Sanchez's Mission Impossible completed on a day charged with emotion. A Paul Emblen goal with just seven minutes left ensured survival and sent the travelling Blue Army wild. Emotions reached new levels of enjoyment as the turmoils of the season were finally washed aside. Enourmous credit must go to Lawrie Sanchez for salvaging a season that look like relegation would be confirmed before the end of March. After the Northampton home game, many Wycombe fans (and club officials) had given up hope of survival, yet in the 18 games under Sanchez, Wycombe have taken 28 points. This compares to our opening 18 games where just 14 points were gained. An even more staggering statistic is that the last 11 games of the season brought in 23 points, including 5 away wins. Is it really possible that is the opening 11 games of the season Wycombe accumulated just 3 points! Sanchez has brought new belief to the Club and the fans will now be hoping that the annual fight against relegation is over and Wycombe will be challenging at the other end of the table. THE HEROES:Taylor, Lawrence, Vinnicombe, Forsyth, Bates, Ryan, Carroll, Simpson (sub 72 Brown), Emblen, Devine, Baird (sub 72 McSporran) sub not used Westhead Att:8,145 (Lincoln's biggest League gate of the season) For the extended Chairboys on the Net report from Sincil Bank, click the match ticket above. If you have a RealAudio player you can listen to a brief clip of the winning goal from the 1170am coverage by following these links for the streamed version or download version (200K). WYCOMBE v WIGAN ATHLETIC Wednesday 5th May 1999 - Division Two Paul Emblen's first goal in a Wanderers shirt earnt Wycombe three critical points against Wigan in a nerve-racking 90 minutes at Adams Park. The goal on 49 minutes might have been a bit on the lucky side but they all count and it was nothing less than Wycombe deserved. After a nervous opening Wycombe fell behind against the run of play on 37 minutes when a poor clearance by Martin Taylor was intercepted and the runner-up in the Player of the Season award could only parry the resulting shot into the path of Simon Hawarth. It was another massive blow in a season where the pain has reached the extreme on many occasions. A minute before the break, however, the prayers of the Wycombe fans were answered as Sean Devine lashed the ball home after Emblen crossed. Prior to this the small contingent from Wigan were enjoying winding up the scattering of Bournemouth and Gillingham fans in the crowd but they were soon to eat those words. On an extremely wet evening Wycombe struggled in the opening stages although Jermaine McSporran looked fairly lively up front. Top scorer Sean Devine had the first real chance on 13 minutes but his semi-lob fell agonisingly wide of the Wigan upright. A crazy goalmouth scramble on 24 minutes after a high ball into the Wigan box nearly brought a Wycombe goal but it was the agony of seeing the ball in the back of the Wycombe net that threatened to spoil the best atmosphere at Adams park for ages. The continued support from the Woodlands AND Valley End was rewarded with Devine's equaliser and it was just the boost Wycombe needed. At the start of the second-half Wycombe forced three corners in quick succession and when a series of shots looked like they would never go in, Emblen redirected the ball past Roy Carroll in the Wigan goal and it was party time. Wigan, still chasing a play-off spot after playing six games in two weeks, piled the pressure on the hour mark but Taylor and the defence led by Jamie Bates held out. Sanchez gave a surprise Football League debut to 19 year Lee Holsgrove and the local born lad didn't look out of place and showed some nice touches. After just four minutes of his debut Emblen laid the ball to him on the right but his shot curled away from the target. Not surprisingly Wigan tired at the end and Wycombe could have added a third five minutes from time when Devine shot on the turn but his low shot was palmed away by Carroll. A minute later Michael O'Neill was sent-off for a second-bookable offence as Wigan finally gave up the ghost. The Wycombe fans shouted themselves hoarse as the minutes ticked slowly away but it all held firm and now it's on to Lincoln for Judgement Day. Final Score Wycombe 2 Wigan 1 WYCOMBE TEAM:Taylor, Lawrence, Vinnicombe, Forsyth, Bates, Ryan, Carroll, Simpson, Emblen (sub 90 Senda), Devine, McSporran (sub 66 Holsgrove) sub not used Beeton Att:5,410 WYCOMBE v BLACKPOOL Saturday 1st May 1999 - Division Two A hugely disappointing and frustrating afternoon for Wycombe fans saw two vital points dropped against Blackpool. Wycombe gave the lead away twice and are now relying on Northampton or York slipping up and that's assuming that maximum points are taken from the two remaining games. It could have been so different if Wycombe has captalised on taking the lead after just 65 seconds. Dave Carroll swung in a free-kick from the right and the ball was powered into the net by the head of Sean Devine. It was Devine's seventh goal since joining Wycombe and his first at Adams Park. Wycombe failed to take advantage and on 14 minutes the visitors were level when Marvin Bryan broke in from the right. Martin Taylor failed to hold on to his low powerful shot and Brett Ormerod tucked the loose ball in from close range. Wycombe were ahead again with two minutes when Baird and Devine combined before Dave Carroll fired home at the far post past Tony Caig in the Blackpool goal. Despite the return of Carroll, Wycombe lacked ideas in midfield. Chances were minimal at both ends with Michael Simpson's 28th minute hit and hope effort followed a minute later by a chance for Baird being the sole entries into the notebook prior to half-time. Baird had two glarring misses shortly after the break before Sean Devine had a glorious chance to extend Wycombe's lead 10 minutes into the second-half when he broke through on the left but he screwed his shot horribly wide. Six minute later those misses were made to look very costly indeed when Phil Clarkson snapped up a loose ball to level the scores. Wycombe struggled from then on and even the introduction of McSporran failed to inspire things. Final Score Wycombe 2 Blackpool 2 WYCOMBE TEAM:Taylor, Lawrence, Vinnicombe, Forsyth, Bates, Ryan, Carroll (sub 90 Senda), Simpson, Emblen, Devine, Baird (sub 71 McSporran) sub not used Beeton Att:5,286 NOTTS COUNTY v WYCOMBE Tuesday 27th April 1999 - Division Two A penalty conceded by an unfortunate handball by Jamie Bates in the 49th minute proved to be the difference between the two sides at a boggy Meadow Lane on Tuesday night. Gerry Creaney converted the spot kick as Wycombe never looked like breaking down the County rear-guard. A lacklustre performance from the Wycombe midfield provided too few openings for the front men. The best chance to equalise fell to Keith Ryan on 79 minutes, when his dipping shot from 25 yards was pushed away by Darren Ward in the County goal. Two minutes earlier County's Dennis Pearce had been sent off for a second-bookable offence when he tripped Jermaine McSporran on route to goal. It proved to be a very frustrating evening for the 800 or so travelling fans from Wycombe, as County dominated a largely aerial battle. With Steve Brown and Dave Carroll sidelined with injuries, Sanchez gave youngster Martyn Lee his first start in the Football League. He was joined by the return of Paul Emblen and Jamie Bates, after their one match suspensions. Michael Forsyth was rested after his first full game for over a year on Saturday. It was the lack of creativity in midfield, though, that proved to be a major factor in Wycombe losing out. County, with ex-Wanderer Mark Stallard takes the jeers from the visiting fans, came at Wycombe from the start. However, on 7 minutes Wycombe broke and could have taken the lead when Sean Devine glanced a header wide after a cross from the right. At the other end Martin Taylor made a good save on 12 minutes when he scrambled across at his left hand post to push away an inswinging shot. Wycombe tried to copy County's long ball tactics game but Mark Warren dominated at the back for the home side and there were too few opportunities to run at goal for the likes of Baird and Devine. The decisive goal came five minutes into the second-half when a strong run by Alex Dyer from the left ended when Bates handballed in his own area. Taylor went the right way for Gerry Creaney's spot-kick but the ball crept in. That was all that County needed and they seemed quite happy to defend for the rest of the game. McSporran came on for Emblen after 56 minute and his pace down the right wing started to create a few openings. Wycombe forced their first corner of the evening on the hour mark. The final twenty minutes was a frantic battle for the equaliser - even Paul McCarthy and Alan Beeton were playing up front aganist a ten-man County defence. Keith Ryan actually had the ball in the net on 81 minutes after a Simpson corner from the right but it was dissallowed without much dispute for a foul on the County 'keeper. Even six minutes of injury time couldn't save Wycombe as all eyes turn to Saturday's game with Blackpool. Final Score Notts County 1 Wycombe 0 WYCOMBE TEAM:Taylor, Lawrence, Vinnicombe, McCarthy, Bates, Ryan, Lee (sub HT Beeton), Simpson (sub 92 Senda), Emblen (sub 56 McSporran), Devine, Baird Att:4,271 All match reports © 1998 Chairboys on the Net - Not to be reproduced without our permission

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• PRE-SEASON 1998 - Not a good start
• AUGUST 1998 - League nightmare - cup glory
• SEPTEMBER 1998 - it gets worse - still no wins
• OCTOBER 1998 - a win at last - and then another
• NOVEMBER 1998 - Good form continues
• DECEMBER 1998 - FA Cup disaster - but league form on the up
• JANUARY 1999 - Pear-shaped and Smillie goes
• FEBRUARY 1999 - Sanchez arrives and finally a victory
• MARCH 1999 - Early disaster and late hope
• APRIL 1999 - More away wins

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• REPORTS FROM 1997/98 - Wanderers survive again
• REPORTS FROM 1996/97 - Another survival battle

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