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Club News

U's Win At Wycombe

27 August 2016

Club News

U's Win At Wycombe

27 August 2016

2-0 victory at Adams Park.

The U's have won 2-0 at Wycombe Wanderers to complete an excellent August for John McGreal's men.

First half chances were few and far between for both sides, and it was no surprise that the game was goalless at the break.

That changed in the second period though, with the U's scoring twice to take the victory.

Chris Porter slid in the first after combining well with Sammie Szmodics on sixty two minutes.

Szmodics got in on the act himself on eighty two, volleying home after a knock down from Porter.

A professional performance was rewarded with the win and three points, keeping the U's in the upper echelons of League Two after a solid first month's work.  

If the U’s were wondering what threat Wycombe would pose most, it was confirmed in just the third minute, with a long ball played into the box for Adebayo Akinfenwa.

The powerful forward got on the end of it but couldn’t get his shot away under pressure.

He got onto another long ball five minutes later, setting up former U’s midfielder Marcus Bean for a shot blazed off target.

Within seconds, the U’s had a chance of their own and it was one that maybe should have been converted.

Brennan Dickenson, who was once again a potent threat on the left, drove forward and found Sammie Szmodics at the near post.

Unfortunately, the youngster miscued his first effort before being denied by a sliding block from Bean.

The U’s next foray forward came down the opposite flank, with Richard Brindley and Drey Wright combining before the low cross was cleared onto Chris Porter and wide.

Plenty of chances early on for either team but the best came on fifteen minutes for the hosts.

A corner was cleared but the second ball was put in and Aaron Piece somehow missed the target with a free header ten yards out.

The game settled down after that chance, before the U’s tested Jamal Blackman as Wright drilled a shot straight into his midriff.

Seconds later, the Wanderers’ keeper was in action again, saving from Dickenson and then having to rely on a defender to clear the ball as it came off him.

Garry Thompson got a yellow card for diving when he went to ground just inside the U’s penalty area.

The final chance of the first half came three minutes before the break, with Wright pulling his shot wide of the far post from just outside the box.

It was a first half without too many clear cut chances, and that was credit to both defensive set-ups for their endeavour.

The hosts looked more eager to put pressure on the U’s early in the second half though, but they were a bit fortunate that Porter couldn’t get on the end of a wide free kick in the opening seconds of the half.

The following minutes saw Wycombe pushing for an opener and only strong defending from Luke Prosser and Tom Eastman prevented forwards getting on the end of a number of balls into the area.

A lot of the pal for the next portion of the game was played in the central third of the pitch, and the next effort came from Tom Lapslie.

He latched onto a ball dropping down thirty yards out but his volley flew well over the crossbar and into the massed ranks of U’s supporters behind the goal.

A minute later and the U’s were ahead.

A long ball found the head of Porter, who guided the ball into the path of Szmodics and span into the six yard box for the return ball.

Szmodics got that return ball in and Porter slid it home past the helpless Blackman in the home goal.

A home blitz was expected but the U’s defence restricted Wycombe’s sights of goal, although Pierce headed over and Eastman deflected a shot from Bean over the bar.

It wasn’t all Wycombe though, and Dickenson had a shot well saved after more good work from Porter on the left hand side.

The U’s centre forward was the provider again five minutes later, as the U’s doubled their lead on eighty two minutes.

Once again, he was first to a ball forward and his smart sideways header fell perfectly for the onrushing Szmodics.

He allowed it to drop and hit a superb volley that gave Blackman no chance - and the U’s players joined their fans behind the goal to celebrate what should have been three points.

It was, and the clean sheet that the U’s deserved was protected by a fantastic save from Walker to deny Southwell in injury time.

The final whistle went seconds after that chance for the home side and a thoroughly professional performance was rightly rewarded with three points.

Points are the aim on Tuesday evening, but not League Two points.

The U’s are on their travels again, this time in the group stage of the Checkatrade Trophy against Crawley Town.


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