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 A
gritty Wycombe performance saw Notts County beaten off by the 3 goals to 1 at
Adams Park on Friday evening as Youth Teamer Ben Townsend made his home debut
for The Wanderers. However, there was bad news for Wycombe as Andy Baird limped
off on 30 minutes with an injury to his right ankle.Wycombe had to come back from a goal down to beat County after former Blues striker Mark Stallard had given the visitors an 18th minute lead. Wycombe had fielded an unchanged line-up for the last four games but were without right-back Mark Rogers and midfielder Mo Harkin (both on international duty). Rogers absence left the way back into the side for Jason Cousins but Sanchez opted for the specialised right-back skills of Townsend. Harkin was replaced by Baird with Jermaine McSporran dropping back to cover in midfield. Baird, in the starting line-up for time since the game at Rotherham, created the first opening of the match on 7 minutes - cutting in on the right side of midfield before unleashing a shot that County third choice 'keeper James Lindley did well to push away from the top corner of his goal. Four minutes later the fragile County defence were put under more pressure as Rammell's header at the far post caused chaos before being cleared. County first showed on 14 minutes when Andy Hughes' low drive from the left was saved with ease by Martin Taylor. Wycombe were exposed again down the County left as the visitors took the lead. A long ball found Stallard and he found Jamie Bates wanting as the ex-Wanderer nipped into the box before slotting past Taylor from a narrow angle. Wycombe showed the character to hit back within two minutes. Michael Simpson floated a ball in from the left and Rammell's knock back wasn't cleared Andy Baird snapped at the chance to sweep the ball in to the Valley End net. Wycombe were ahead four minutes later when Baird challenged bravely on the right bye-line to win the ball and when Townsend sent the ball into the box, Rammell was on hand to force the ball home in slow motion as the County defence looked on. Baird paid the price for his challenge when he limped off down the tunnel to be replaced by Danny Senda but Wycombe retained their grip on the game and could have scored again before half-time when McSporran skimmed a shot just wide of Lindley's left hand post. Half-time Wycombe 2 County 1 County's best spell came directly after the break which culminated in Stallards's strong claim for being tripped in the box waved away by referee Ray Oliver (remember him from Wigan away last season?). With County still protesting McSporran broke down the right side but Lindley came out quick to gather. Nine minutes later Lindley denied McSporran again when he beat away his drive following Steve Brown's neat pass. Brown also set up Senda in the 62nd minute but the header went wide at the near post. Ian Hamilton had County's best chance to equalise on 66 minutes but he put his effort wide of Taylor's right hand post after he was left with too much space in the Wycombe penalty area. County converted to three up front in an attempt to grab a point but it was Wycombe who wrapped up the points with eleven minutes left of normal time. Simpson played a quick one-two with Senda from a corner on the left and when Brown stretched to keep the ball in at the far post, Paul McCarthy had the easiest of tasks to strike the ball home from six yards. That was curtains for County despite seeing late efforts from Man City loan player Nick Fenton well saved Taylor and a Gary Owers shot blocked by his own team-mate. A thoroughly deserved victory for Wycombe with a workman performance. Third place in the table with a quarter of the season gone is dreamland and with the team playing with confidence and the belief that they are there on merits, the games coming up against Reading and Walsall should make very interesting viewing. Final Score Wycombe 3 Notts County 1
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