Wycombe Wanderers Match reports brought to you by Chairboys on the Net Worthington Cup 1999
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The Worthington CupWBA v WYCOMBE
Tuesday 21st September
Football League Cup 2nd Round Second Leg

An injury hit Wycombe side put up a fighting display against First Division West Brom at Adams Park on Tuesday evening before finally losing 4-3 after extra time (5-4 on aggregate). The excellent performance in the First Leg at The Hawthorns had given Wycombe a great chance of progressing to the Third Round for the first time ever but Wycombe were always going to be up against it after Goalkeeper Martin Taylor and defender Paul McCarthy were declared unfit.
Wycombe got off to a dream start when in the 6th minute Sean Devine shot on the turn in the area following a corner from the left to give Wycombe the lead. Wycombe's defensive frailties then started to become exposed. After 9 minutes West Brom piled on the pressure and after Mark Westhead ahad survived a penalty it was left to Dave Carroll to head over his own crossbar from the resulting corner. The almost inevitable equaliser came in the 16th minute when Paul Raven powered in a header from a Richard Richard Sneekes corner. Wycombe reorganised and should have regained the lead on 25 minutes when Steve Brown was faced with a chance from 12 yards. Eight minutes later Devine went close with a header after a right wing corner from Jermaine McSporran. A minute later Fabian DeFrietas gave West Brom the lead for the first time when he headed in Lee Hughes' swinging cross from midfield as Cousins and Lawrence were caught out ball watching.Wycombe had further chances before half-time when first Carroll saw a shot drift over the bar and then on 45 minutes the ball came too quickly to Devine after McSporran had created from the right.
Half-time 1-1
Wycombe came out for the second-half firing on all cylinders. Within three minutes Devine crossed from the left but the ball flew off the top of McSporran's head as the Valley End held theirs. Reserve 'keeper Mark Westhead limped off for Wycombe five minutes into the second half to be replaced by third choice 'keeper Mark Osborn but Wycombe went on to dominate the remainder of the 90 minutes. On 58 minutes Carroll saw a free-kick tipped over as he defied the years yet again. Five minutes later a blistering drive from Devine was pushed around by Alan Miller in the West Brom goal. A rare attack by The Baggies saw Hughes nip in and flick the ball against the Wycombe crossbar on 70 minutes. Within a minute Wycombe were level when Dave Carroll added another spectacular goal to his collection driving in a 25 yarder after Keith Ryan had squared. Wycombe continued to press and with five minutes left 'Jesus' nearly had the crowd praying again as Miller tipped over a potential match winning effort.
90 minutes 2-2
 With the scores locked at 3-3 on aggregate the game went into extra-time - Wycombe knowing they had to score to go through. Wycombe again created the better chances but when West Brom substitute James Quinn saw his 25 yard shot slip through the hands of Mark Osborn and into the Wycombe net just before the end of the first period, Wycombe's task became near impossible. Devine limped off on 109 minutes before Lee Hughes finally got his goal with six minutes left on the clock after Lawrence had been caught in possession. Steve Brown scored a last minute consolation penalty for Wycombe with Daryl Burgess the unlucky player to see red after hauling back substitute Andy Baird.
A fantastic display from Wycombe considering the forced changes to the line-up and with a bit more luck in the 90 minutes it would be Wycombe going through to the Third Round. Wycombe run the Baggies ragged for the Second-Half and Wycombe fans can be proud of this performance on another exciting night of Cup football at Adams Park.

Final Score
Wycombe 3 WBA 4 after extra-time (aggregate 4-5)
WYCOMBE TEAM:Westhead (sub 50 Osborn), Lawrence, Beeton, Cousins, Bates, Ryan, Simpson, Carroll (sub 103 Baird), Brown, McSporran, Devine (sub 109 Emblen) subs not used Vinnicombe and Rogers Att:5,047

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The Worthington CupWBA v WYCOMBE
Tuesday 14th September
Football League Cup 2nd Round First Leg

Wycombe turned in another gritty and impressive Worthington Cup display as they returned from The Hawthorns with a 1-1 draw. Paul McCarthy had given Wycombe the lead on 58 minutes and although WBA grabbed an equaliser six minutes later, the result sets up a potentially thrilling second leg at Adams Park next Tuesday (21st September).
Lawrie Sanchez made two changes from the side that beat Cardiff on Saturday - Michael Simpson and Andy Baird getting the nod ahead of Paul Emblen and Steve Brown. Backed by a noisy 1,000 plus following, the game begun in similar fashion to the previous round at Molineux, with Wycombe surviving the early pressure before surprising the home side with a positive attacking attitude. On 7 minutes the pacey Fabian De Frietas outstripped Alan Beeton for pace down the West Brom right and his cross was headed over by the lunging Lee Hughes. The Baggies were given their first taste of Jermaine McSporran on 15 minutes when he flashed in a low shot that went just inches wide of Kevin Miller's right hand post. The game got bogged down in midfield for the vast majority of the remainder of the first half and was not helped by the over fussy refereeing of Mr Foy who seemed to be pulling out yellow cards at random. Wycombe finished the half on top when Carroll's free-kick from the left whizzed across the face of the Baggies goal.
Half-time 0-0
The otherwise quiet home fans thought their team had scored on 52 minutes but DeFrietas was pulled back for offside. The remainder of the half belonged almost solely to Wycombe. On 53 minutes McSporran shot into the side netting when pulling the ball back might have been a better option. Five minutes later Wycombe had taken the lead when Carroll's corner from the left was cleared to the edge of the box only for Jamie Bates to head back in - Paul McCarthy swivelled on the edge of the six-yard box to lash the ball into the West Brom net. Wycombe fans were still coming to terms with the potential for another major cup upset when West Brom grabbed a lifeline. On 64 minutes Bates conceeded a free-kick 25 yards from goal and Richard Sneekes looped the ball over the Wycombe wall and completely unmarked Sean Flynn tucked the ball home. Despite the goal Wycombe never sat back and could quite easily have returned with a deserved 1st leg lead. Within a minute of the equaliser Sean Devine's cross from the left saw Carroll's header hit the back of Keith Ryan as West Brom were nearly rocked again. McSporran cut in again from the left on 81 minutes but he was eventually shut out. Wycombe applied all the pressure in the closing stages and if Devine had got his toe to a long through ball on the stroke of full-time there would have been a lot more to celebrate.
A superb display and Wycombe have every chance of progressing to Third Round for the first time ever if they can finish the job at Adams Park next Tuesday (21st September). 
Final Score
WBA 1 Wycombe 1
WYCOMBE TEAM:Taylor, Lawrence, Beeton, McCarthy, Bates, Ryan, Simpson, Carroll, McSporran, Baird (sub 74 Emblen), Devine subs not used Westhead, Cousins, Vinnicombe and Brown Att:9,383

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Unless stated Wycombe Wanderers pictures are with kind permission of Paul Dennis (LRPS)
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