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Wycombe Wanderers 0 |
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Northampton Town 1 |
Friday 25th March 2005
Football League 'League Two' |
Wanderers' erratic home record continued on Good Friday evening as a Scott McGleish goal just before the break was enough to see the visitors go away with all three points. It was a disappointing result for the Wycombe followers in the encouraging attendance of 7,417 and the seventh home defeat of the season sees the gap to the play-off zone open up to four points with seven games remaining.
Team news for Wycombe against The Cobblers saw Rob Lee make his home debut. The former Newcastle United captain replaced Keith Ryan who had picked up a groin injury during the midweek training trip to Marbella. Elsewhere, Mark Philo came on as a late substitute to make his first League appearance of the season following recovery from his pre-season broken ankle. Former Crystal Palace trainee Lance Cronin was substitute 'keeper for the first time following his recent loan move from Selhurst Park.
Once again Wycombe edged the early stages of a game at Adams Park but failed to find the back of the net. Matt Bloomfield went close on nine minutes, while moments later Gus Uhlenbeek shot at Cobblers 'keeper Lee Harper. Wycombe's best chance of the half came on 28 minutes following a long throw from goal by Frank Talia. Nathan Tyson picked up possession but his run to goal ended with Harper pushing the stinging shot to safety.
The chance signalled the end of Wycombe's dominance of the game and the atmosphere drifted as the visitors created chances of their own. David Rowson was denied by Talia on 34 minutes when the Cobblers player tried to round the Wanderers 'keeper, while a minute later Talia got down to save a low shot from Martin Smith. However, a minute before the break Wycombe were caught out when McGleish chested down a through ball to the right of goal before volleying past Talia from 25 yards. It was a body blow for Wycombe and one where the response never materialised in any great form.
Nathan Tyson saw an effort ruled out for offside on the hour mark and Roger Johnson headed wide from a Gus Uhlenbeek cross five minutes later but the Cobblers coped with Wycombe's limited attacking options and held out for the three points with relative ease. Indeed, McGleish went close to widening the winning margin with five minutes left of the clock, but he headed over.
Final Score - Wycombe 0 Northampton 1
Wycombe Player/Coach Keith Ryan fielded the press conference after the game and commented to BBC Three Counties Radio, about the defeat."It's definitely a bodyblow but that's all it is. Before it's mathmatically impossible of us to get in there, we won't be giving anything up." Ryan, who missed the game through injury, added "For fourty minutes we played some lovely stuff. Credit to them, they are a good side and they wouldn't be up if they weren't. I thought we played our part in a decent game tonight. Really I don't think we've got anything to fear. We have got seven games to go and we will be going all guns blazing to try and get in that top seven."
Meanwhile Northampton Town boss Colin Calderwood suggested in the press conference that results are much more important than performances at this stage of the season, adding "Wycombe had more of the ball than we did, but they did not create too many chances. Wycombe are a good side with good players and plenty of experience but we did our jobs defensively. We have to learn to use the ball better but I was very happy with the defensive side of our game. We were not stretched, and we were not hanging on."
Wycombe: Talia, Senda, Easton, Johnson, Nethercott (sub 72 Williamson), Uhlenbeek, Lee, Bloomfield (sub 81 Philo), Burnell, Tyson, Stonebridge (sub 86 Claridge) - subs not used: Cronin, Dixon
Bookings: none
Scorers: none |
Northampton Town: Harper, Hunt (sub 69 Togwell), Westwood, Willmott, Murray, Low (sub 82 Hearn), Rowson, Williamson, Smith, McGleish, Barnard (sub 88 Sabin) - subs not used Crow, Galbraith
Bookings: Willmott (foul 6), Smith (dissent 86), Hearn (foul 90)
Scorers: McGleish (44) |
| Referee: J Singh |
Attendance: 7,417 (away end 1,477) |
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