A
simply marvellous day was had by all Wycombe fans at a packed Adams Park as a Sam
Parkin goal just five minutes from time took Wycombe through to the last
16. Wycombe contained the
visitors through several spells of pressure in an even first-half but when
Andy Rammell muscled in to give Wycombe the lead in the 36th minute you
knew it might be Wycombe's day.
A record crowd of over 9,617 saw the visitors enjoy their best spell of
the game after the break and when Carl Robinson dived in to convert Lee
Naylor's left wing cross on 59 minutes it would have been easy for Wycombe
to collapse. However, once again Lawrie Sanchez pulled some rabbits out of
the hat as Steve Brown and Sam Parkin were given their chance for FA Cup
glory. That duo then combined in the 85th minute - Brown curling in a
delightful ball from the left that Parkin finished in style - minutes
later the final whistle signalled scenes of sheer joy as Wycombe players,
officials and fans celebrated one of the most memorable days in the ten
year history of Adams Park.
Fielding an unchanged line-up to the one that
won at Grimsby it was Wycombe almost took the lead in the opening minute
when Michael Simpson's cheeky lob grazed Mike Stowell's left-hand post.
Stowell, playing only his second game inside a year, then saw his team
begin to test Wycombe's defence. Ludovic Pollet went close from a 4th
minute corner while it was Michael Branch who gave Chris Vinnicombe a hard
time down the Wolves right flank. In the 22nd minute his twisting and
turning run got the better of 'Vinni' but Martin Taylor picked the ball
out at the near post. Two minutes later Adam Proudlock's flick cannoned
off Branch's knee and Taylor could only watch as the ball hit the crossbar
before before collected the grateful Wycombe 'keeper.
The game was taking on a similar shape to the first game with Grimsby but
Wycombe weathered the storm and in the 35th minute Rammell pulled a shot
against the post to give the visitors a warning of what Wycombe were
capable off. A minute later Wycombe were ahead - Martyn Lee sent over a
corner from the left and when Paul McCarthy's header was only half-cleared
Rammell was there to pounce for his 13th goal since joining Wycombe
in September. Rammell made use of the piles of snow surrounding the pitch
for his celebration - lying half-covered on his back before being swamped
by his team mates.
Half-time Wycombe 1 Wolves 0
The goal had stunned Wolves but Wycombe were forced to re-group when Paul
McCarthy didn't recover from a twist to his ankle late in the first half.
'Macca' limped out for the second-half but was immediately replaced by
Jamie Bates. It signalled the visitors best spell of the game as they
forced a succession of corners. Six minutes into the half Pollet saw a
header come back off the Wycombe cross-bar following another Branch cross
and four minutes later Taylor stood up well to parry away a fierce drive
from Robinson. The pressure finally paid off in the 59th minute when Lee
Naylor's cross from the right was converted at the near post by the head
of Robinson. The Wolves fans went crazy and you wondered whether
Wycombe might collapse. However, to Wycombe's credit the players went up
another gear. Simpson saw a diving header end in the side netting from
Matt Brady's cross just after the hour but it was the introduction of
Steve Brown moments later that gave Wycombe the vital advantage - a fact
that Wolves skipper Simon Osborn will confirm after he limped off
following a robust challenge from 'Brownie'.
The final piece in the jigsaw was the introduction of Sam Parkin. Parkin,
only released by Chelsea to play in the Cup the previous week replaced a
tiring Andy Baird. It was in the 85th minute that Taylor cleared long and
when Brown curled in a cross from the left side of midfield it was Parkin
who rose to thump a header past Stowell from 10 yards. Parkin seemed to
enjoy it and 8,000 Wycombe fans agreed as three sides of the ground
erupted - a truly amazing sight. From there on, there was only one winner
and the celebrations at the final whistle confirmed just how much this result
meant to all those concerned.
Final Score
Wycombe 2 Wolves 1
Wycombe:
Taylor, Rogers, Vinnicombe, Cousins, McCarthy (sub HT Bates), Brady,
Simpson, Bulman, Lee (sub 61 Brown), Baird (sub 66 Parkin), Rammell
subs not used: Senda, Westhead
Yellow Card: Lee (43 dissent) |
Wolves:
Stowell, Naylor, Robinson, Pollett, Emblen, Branch, Osborn (sub 77
Ndah), Sinton (sub 88 Camara), Andrews (sub 61 Green), Lescott,
Proudlock
subs not used: Ketsbaia, Oakes
Yellow Card: Andrews (38 foul), Lescott (81 foul) |
Referee:
Paul Danson |
Attendance:
9,617 (Wolves 1677) |
|
Chairboys
Stat File |
27th
Jan 2001
Division Two
Played
25
Won 10
Drew 7
Lost 8
Goals For 27
Goals Against 21
Position 12th
Top Scorers (League)
Andy Rammell 10
Steve Brown 4
Andy Baird 3
Jamie
Bates 3
Jermaine McSporran
2
Dannie Bulman 2
Sam Parkin 1
Paul McCarthy 1
Michael Simpson 1 |
All match reports © 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999,2000 Chairboys on the Net - Not to be reproduced without our written permission.
|