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The winning goal was a well worked affair that started deep in Wycombe's own half. Gavin Holligan found Dave Carroll on the edge of the centre circle and the Wycombe legend sprayed the ball out to the left where Martyn Lee picked up play before curling the ball to the opposite wing for Danny Senda. Senda then pushed the ball into the near post where Emblen's cheeky flick and shot on the turn gave Paul Smith in The Bees goal no chance. In the end it was a comfortable victory although Mark Osborn, making his first competitive First Team appearance for two years, made a fine reflex save from Lloyd Owusu in the first half to deny last season's finalists and was called upon with ten minutes remaining to push away Stephen Hunt's effort. The sparse crowd saw an even first half where Wycombe's best chances fell to Martyn Lee. In the 12th minute he was pushed over by Hunt just inches outside the right edge of the Brentford penalty area. Lee got up to take the kick himself but his drive was blocked. At the other end Ben Burgess pulled an effort wid of Osborn's left hand post on 18 minutes and three minutes later Kevin O'Connor saw his shot deflected wide after Hunt had provided. Osborn's save from Owusu in the 22nd minute was the stop of the match and prompted a good spell from Wycombe. On the half hour mark a long range effort from Lee was spilled by Paul Smith in The Bees' goal and Wycombe won an indirect free-kick for obstructive on Emblen as The Wanderers player closed in on the loose ball. Dannie Bulman pushed the free-kick to Lee but Smith was quick off his line to push the ball wide with one hand. Seven minutes before the break Dave Carroll showed he can still turn on the style when he weaved down the right wing before delivering a cross that Bulman hit first time but wide. Half-time 0-0 Carroll continued to run the midfield two minutes into the second period and from his corner from the left Lee was able to pick his spot but Smith fingered tipped the shot onto the far upright. A minute later Lee tried to pick his spot from around twelve yards following Jermaine McSporran's low ball from the right but Smith was able to save. Townsend's injury on 52 minutes meant that Wycombe had to re-organise. Roger Johnson came on as Wycombe converted to a back five and there was brief scare in the 63rd minute when Eddie Hutchinson was allowed too much space but he pulled his effort wide. The winning goal on 69 minutes was a sweet piece of football to watch and placed Wycombe in firm control of the match. After Hunt had missed his chance to equalise Wycombe introduced Leeyon Phelan for a brief run and he was nearly on the scoresheet within a minute but slipped at the critical moment when sent clear from the halfway line. But there were no more chances for the visitors to take the game into extra-time and Wycombe played out the dying moments with ease. The only downside of the evening was an injury to Ben Townsend. The young full-back slipped awkwardly on the rain drenched surface shortly after the break and had to leave the field on a stretcher. The official word after the game was that he had cracked his fibula and will be out for up to three months. After the game Lawrie Sanchez commented "I’ve said all along the squad is smaller than last season but I believe it’s stronger than it’s ever been in my time here and that was shown tonight, there are now a lot of people pushing for places" Final Score Wycombe 1 Brentford 0
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