| WANDERERS - PRE-SEASON 2002
Saturday 3rd August 2002 - Underhill Barnet 5 Wycombe Wanderers 4 Wanderers completed their pre-season campaign with a 5-4 defeat at Barnet. Craig Faulconbridge opened his goalscoring account for Wycombe but it was in defence that Wycombe look likely to have a few headaches brewing prior to the start of the Football League season. Youngster Steve Williams was thrown between the sticks after Wycombe failed to persuade Ian Feuer to stay on but there was little he could have done to prevent Barnet exposing Wanderers eratic defending. Elsewhere, Danny Senda, Stuart Roberts and Richard Harris all sat out this game with their respective injury problems and newly appointed Team Captain Paul McCarthy remained an unused substitute after he picked up a minor injury in the pre-match warm up.  The goal fest began on 16 minutes when Wanderers defence were left ball watching following a corner from the left and Toby Oshitola headed home after Ben Strevens headed on over a stranded Williams. Kicking down the Underhill slope, Wanderers responded on 25 minutes when Danny Bulman's downward shot bounced towards goal but was tipped over by the ever impressive Barnet 'keeper Lee Harrison. A minute later Wycombe were level when ex-Bee Sean Devine pulled the ball back from the right flank for Ben Townsend to side foot goalwards and Faulconbridge to deflect home from around ten yards. Barnet regained the lead on 29 minutes when Mark Gower's corner from the left was met at the near post by the head of Mark Arber and the ball flew past Williams. Strevens went close shortly before the break after another low cross from the left had Wanderers defence struggling again. Half-time Barnet 2 Wycombe 1 Wanderers clawed the scores level again on 47 minutes when another ex-Barnet hero, Darren Currie, swung in a free-kick from the left that Andy Thomson headed on towards the far post where Devine converted from close range with the home side claiming for offside.  Wanderers went ahead for the first time a minute later when another Currie free-kick from the left was flicked past Harrison by the head of Mark Rogers. However, the lead lasted just five minutes as Wycombe contrived to concede three goals in nine minutes. First on 53 minutes Gower was allowed too much freedom and struck a low shot past Williams from 20 yards. Then on 58 minutes Leon Bell converted from a similar distance after Neil Midgley had laid the ball back.
Wanderers nightmare in defence was completed in the 64th minute when the referee spotted a handball by a Wycombe player in the Barnet penalty area and Strevens stepped up to convert the spot-kick.Wycombe's best spell followed with a trio of youngsters introduced in the form of Roger Johnson, Martyn Lee and Lewis Cook. However, it was the fast improving link up play between Faulconbridge and Devine that produced the final goal of the game on 77 minutes. The former Wrexham player played the ball in from the right and when Devine's shot was half-blocked, Lee was on hand to force the ball over the line. The downside for Lee was that he injured himself in the process and played no further part in the game and therefore adding to Wycombe's inreasing injury concerns. Williams pulled off a couple of decent saves in the closing stages but it was Wycombe who came closest to scoring again when Sean Devine's effort was ruled out for a marginal offside. Final Score Barnet 5 Wycombe 4 Wycombe: Williams, Vinnicombe, Rogers (sub 68 Johnson), Thomson, Townsend, Bulman (sub 68 Lee[sub 78 Simpemba]), Simpson (sub 68 Cook), Brown (sub 60 Ryan), Currie, Faulconbridge, Devine Barnet: Harrison, Gledhill (sub 65 Millard) , Flynn, Pluck (sub 65 Yakabu), Arber, Hillier (sub HT Doolan), Bell (sub 75 Purches), Midgley (sub 65 Latte Jellow), Gower (sub 75 Still), Oshitola (sub HT Agogo), Strevens (sub 65 Toms) Att: 500 approx Click here to read all the latest Wycombe news |
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