Matchday Essentials 2002-2003 Click here for the latest match previews and reports |
Team news saw Frank Talia retain his place in goal ahead of Martin Taylor but there were two changes to the starting line-up that drew at Barnsley on Saturday - Youth Teamer Lewis Cook being given his first Football League start in place of Steve Brown and Craig Faulconbridge was prefered to Andy Rammell. After the visitors had forced an early corner it was Wanderers passing style that saw them enjoy the majority of the possession in the first half. Following a 5th minute corner from the left Keith Ryan eventually saw a shot blocked while in the 9th minute Devine's half hit low effort almost slipped through the guard of Carl Muggleton in the Chesterfield goal. Another good spell from Wycombe culminated in the 13th minute when Ryan's low angled shot just failed to mett the target. Five minutes later Ryan was in the wars when he clashed heads with Dawson following an attempted header from a Faulconbridge ball in from the right. Both players needed lengthy treatment. Dawson didn't return and was replaced by Rushby while it was eight minutes before Ryan came back sporting a head bandage. During Ryan's absence Cook saw a cross from deep on the left tipped away for a corner on the opposite flank while Paul McCarthy was forced into an unorthodox clearance as the visitors suggested they may snatch a surprise goal. Wanderers were frustrated again in the 35th minute when Devine's shot on the turn from the right edge of the penalty area was deflected just over but Wycombe's passing game brought good applause from the Wycombe crowd. The half concluded when Chris Vinnicombe was booked for a trip on Mark Hudson when he was on route to goal but the resulting free-kick from Stephen Payne was driven into the Wycombe wall before the ball was forced for a corner on the left. Half-time 0-0 ![]() From the first of these crosses on 47 minutes McCarthy saw a downward header saved on the line by Muggleton while five minutes later Faulconbridge's near post header was also forced away. The clearest opening came in the 54th minute when Cook's cross was cleverly chested down by Devine but Faulconbridge couldn't make use of the loose ball. On the opposite flank Danny Senda began to exploit the visitors defence but still Wycombe couldn't get in that crucial shot at goal. At the opposite end of the ground the warning signs were clear when Burt weaved in from the left channel before seeing his shot cannon back off the crossbar with Talia beaten at full stretch. Shortly afterwards Lawrie Sanchez introduced Darren Currie for Ryan and then Rammell for Devine. The change later proved crucial to the final result but not before Hudson sent a 20 yard effort just wide of Talia's left hand upright. The shot prompted the home crowd to get behind Wycombe and a minute later came the vital breakthrough. Senda played a through ball that Thomson knocked down at the left hand post and Rammell was there to force the ball in and claim his first goal since scoring against QPR back in August. It was also the first league goal from open play from a recognised Wanderers forward since Craig Faulconbridge scored in the 2-1 home defeat to Blackpool on 14th September. Wycombe never looked back after scoring and added another on 80 minutes when Senda's back flick found Currie deep on the right wing. The final outswinging delivery left Muggleton stranded and Rammell the chance to double his tally for the evening. Three minutes later a similar cross from Currie left Rammell cursing why he hadn't completed a ten minute hat-trick - his connecting header ending wide of the far post. Michael Simpson should have made it three on 84 minutes when he was left with a clear run on goal from just outside of the penalty area but was denied at the very last moment by an excellent save by Muggleton. But Wycombe had already done enough to earn the points and the evening ended with Talia finally getting in on the act with an amazing stoppage time block from David Reeves. Wanderers remain 11th in the table after this latest victory - their third consecutive at Adams Park and there will be very few who left this game who could complain on the lack of entertainment and the important final result. Final Score Wycombe 2 Chesterfield 0
|
Chairboys on the Net - Not to be reproduced without our written permission. |
![]() HOME||||INDEX||||ROUGH GUIDE||||NEWS||||REPORTS||||FIXTURES&RESULTS||||INTERACT |