No Double Trouble for the Shrimps…
Morecambe welcomed League One leaders Wycombe Wanderers to the Mazuma Stadium today. Gareth Ainsworth’s impressive team show every sign of a quick return to a Championship from which they were relegated last season. Wanderers have only lost one and drawn one of their last five league games. Morecambe, on the other hand, have won only one and lost two of their last five. In previous meetings between the two clubs, the Chairboys have won ten and lost only four. Perhaps the most memorable of these nineteen fixtures altogether was last October, when Morecambe contrived to fritter-away a winning position of two goals to the good at half time at Adams Park to finally lose the game 4-3. Their defensive frailties were there for all to see on the day. Since then, though, Burnley loanee Jacob Bedeau and Dundee United’s goalkeeper Trevor Carson have brought some much-needed stability to the core of the team at the back. Against Wigan last Tuesday, Morecambe were unlucky to lose 1-2 against one of League One’s better sides. Today, Manager Stephen Robinson would also introduce what I think could be politely described as a `hard-tackling midfield stopper’ in the shape of Frenchman Ousmane Fané for his club debut late on in the second half. He’s a big, tough lad who showed in one perfectly executed movement in injury time that he can play a bit as well. Better still – if the Urban Dictionary is to be believed, his first name means:
“Extremely attractive male, typically a Leo, women often compete for him, very intelligent, athletic, great sense of humor, successful in life.”
Not a lot to live up to there, then, eh?
I don’t know it he’s a Leo or not but this description could equally apply to the opposition Manager, who said about the forthcoming encounter:
“I’m from up that way – I know what it’s like. I know what the conditions will be at this time of year and I also know that Morecambe hasn’t been a Happy Hunting Ground really, home or away. I say Happy Hunting Ground – it’s been an Average Hunting Ground and we’ve got to be at our best for this one. They are a good side. They had a good result midweek although they got beat. I think Wigan are one of the strongest teams in the league and they scared them; they took them all the way – and who can forget the 4-3 at Adams Park? It’s going to be a tough game – as always. It’s about getting the squad together which we think will beat the team on Saturday.”
Off the field, Wycombe have been in the headlines for lots of other reasons this week. They banned an 18-year-old-`supporter’ from Adams Park for life for running onto the field during a match against Oxford. They – at least – seem to take the law seriously. This could be because Wanderers’ Chairman Roy Douhig is not only an American lawyer but a fully-paid up Judge on the other side of the Pond. He has been obliged to make a public statement this week about claims by crisis-hit Derby County that Wanderers are endangering the Rams’ very existence. How? By demanding massive compensation (a rumoured twenty million pounds) for alleged dodgy dealings by the Derbyshire club’s Administrators. Apparently, they `deliberately’ (Mr Douhig’s words, not mine) held-off Administration until a point in time when Wycombe had already been relegated last season. In doing so, they obliged the Chairboys to pick-up the tab for all the disastrous consequences to budgets and player numbers which this triggered-off at the Buckinghamshire club. The argument – simply stated – is that Derby would have gone down in Wanderers’ stead if County’s Administrators had been more transparent about the club’s actually perilous financial state last season. If they had – the argument continues – points deductions would been applied by the EFL then rather than this season as actually happened.
Just remind me – what’s the root of all evil?
So – if what the opposition Chairman claims has any basis in fact, we would have been welcoming Derby rather than themselves to our stadium today.
Anyway…
Talking about money, Robbo went on record earlier this week and announced:
“It’s proving difficult to attract players to the club. There’s a crazy amount of money being thrown about and we’ve got targets that seem to be disappearing. If you look at the stats over the last five years or so, if you get 49 or 50 points then it usually keeps you in the division. That’s what we’re aiming for and we think it’s more than achievable but I want to strengthen the squad if we can. We want to keep the boys fit who have come in and, if possible, try to bring two in which everyone is trying to do. Because we can’t afford that certain calibre of player, we either have to go with what we’ve got or add someone – but only if it’s better than what we’ve got.”
As far as today’s challenge is concerned, he added:
“The games don’t get any easier at this level. I think out of the teams we have faced this season, Rotherham and Wycombe were our two biggest challenges. We went 2-0 up against Wycombe last time out, so we have proved that we can play against them. We competed against them but they are a tough, tough side to play against. They are different to Wigan. They will be getting balls into our box at every opportunity. They go a little bit more direct and they are very good at what they do.”
Outside the ground, the NHS was offering injections to anybody who wanted a Covid Booster. What a good idea – well done to both them and the club.
It was cold and grey with rain in the air as the game kicked-off. Wycombe must have won the toss because they elected to change ends and play towards their own supporters during the first half.
What’s the opposite of a Secret Weapon? Adebayo Akinfenwa is. In the absence of the injured Sam Vokes, Adebayo was Centre Forward as well as Captain of the Chairboys today. Everybody knows what he can do – this Man Mountain has scored loads of goals against Morecambe in the past – and virtually every other team in the EFL as well, come to think of it. He had played against the Shrimps in Lancashire twice before for the Chairboys – and found the net on both occasions.
So how come was he completely unmarked in the centre of the pitch with just over a minute of the game played? Visiting goalkeeper David Stockdale launched a howitzer down the field; Jordan Obita controlled it well and took it down the Wanderers’ left before slinging over a perfect cross which The Beast headed home via the crossbar.
It was an appalling start by the hosts. Basic errors; basic errors; basic errors…
Morecambe responded well though. With Jonah Ayunga a perfect foil for Cole Stockton, the Shrimps took the game to Wycombe from the first minute to the last. Arthur Gnahoua forced a really good save from Stockdale only for Ayunga’s follow-up to be blocked for a corner after seven minutes. The same player narrowly missed the target four minutes later but every time the ball was played forward, a wrestling match ensued between Cole the Goal and even bigger, even more aggressive Wycombe defender Ryan Tafazolli. It took over twenty minutes for weak Referee Ben Toner to even penalise the visiting defender. Later, he wagged his finger at the same player but only booked him well into the second half. Even then, Tafazolli seemed to think he was playing Rugby – but he was allowed to get away with it time and time again. He should have been sent off instead. Wycombe are a big team with no shame about employing the Dark Arts of time wasting and diving when it suits them. Every time the ball was played forwards by Morecambe, Tafazolli and Anthony Stewart were masters of the smallest nudge or slightest push at the moment of contact with their opponents in the red strip. But Mr Toner – who was rightly booed-off at the end – constantly let them get away with it.
Wanderers conceded a corner on the Morecambe left after 39 minutes. Aaron Wildig took it and Skipper Anthony O’Connor (who was again imperious throughout today) headed it firmly home to deservedly equalise for his team. There had been chances for both sides up until this point. Brandon Hanlan blasted wide after 34 minutes following a swift counter-attack by the visitors. Stockdale also had to be on his toes to punch a dangerous cross by Wildig away from the danger area at about the same time. But a game which had always been good to watch ended up level at one goal each at half time.
The visitors had the first chance of the second half when Joe Jacobson won the ball, found Garath McCleary and saw him play-in Hanlan, whose low shot from close in was brilliantly blocked by the combined efforts of O’Connor and Jacob Bedeau. But there was no denying Jack Grimmer’s tremendous low shot after 54 minutes which whistled through the home defence and went into the net via a post to put the visitors back into the lead.
Adversity, however, seemed to simply galvanise Morecambe. With an hour on the clock, Stockdale did well to beat away Gnahoua’s free kick after Cole had been fouled for the millionth time by the visiting Number Six. Almost immediately, though, the visiting keeper was in the thick of the action again. Gnahoua found Cole in the centre and his shot was blocked by Stockdale only for Ayunga to simply blast the loose ball past him to put the Shrimps onto level footing again. Shortly afterwards – in the sixty-sixth minute – Ayunga brilliantly found the Goal Machine with a lobbed pass forwards. Stockton had finally been able to escape from Tafazolli and did what he does for the twentieth time this season with a tremendously powerful finish.
So Morecambe were in the lead for the first time. They never looked like relinquishing it. Wycombe play a very direct, quite brutal style of football. Unlike Wigan, there is little finesse and you wonder if they have a Plan B. Morecambe beat them today – despite an appalling start – because they were technically better right across the pitch. The win didn’t lift them out of the relegation zone but if they continue to play like this, they will still be in League One at the end of the season.
The defeat saw Wycombe fall to fourth from the highest perch in the Division – a spot which is now occupied by Wigan Athletic, whose team looked much stronger in every department at today’s venue last Tuesday night.
At the end of the game, Robbo suggested the win `had been coming’ and was richly deserved. Gareth Ainsworth blamed the pitch for the defeat. It was `terrible’ and `spongy’.
Pull the other one, Gareth – his lads were beaten by a more committed team which played better football throughout. There was rarely any fear about his team doing the Double over ours this afternoon. To be fair though, he also said:
“Mistakes have cost us today. But you have to credit Morecambe; they fought for their lives and deserved it today. We were unrecognisable and go back down the road with our tail between our legs. You have to give credit to their forwards. I am a North West Boy. This is a North West Team. I hope they stay up – I really do.”
So do we…
Morecambe: 30 Trevor Carson; 3 Greg Leigh (Y); 4 Anthony O’Connor (C); 5 Jacob Bedeau; 8 Toumani Diagouraga; 10 Aaron Wildig (27 Ousmane Fané 80’); 9 Cole Stockton (28 Courtney Duffus 91’); 17 Jonah Ayunga (Y); 19 Shane McLoughlin; 21 Ryan Cooney; 24 Arthur Gnahoua.
Subs Not Used: 1 Kyle Letheren; 7 Wes McDonald; 18 Adam Phillips; 22 Liam Gibson; 25 Alfie McCalmont.
Wycombe Wanderers: 13 David Stockdale; 2 Jack Grimmer; 3 Joe Jacobson (29 Tjay De Barr 74’); 5 Anthony Stewart; 6 Ryan Tafazolli (Y); 8 Curtis Thompson (17 Daryl Horgan 74’); 12 Garath McCleary; 18 Brandon Hanlan; 19 Anis Mehmeti (7 David Wheeler 64’); 20 Adebayo Akinfenwa (C); 23 Jordan Obita.
Subs Not Used: 31 Adam Przybek; 26 Jason McCarthy; 33 Oliver Pendlebury; 38 Chris Forino.
Ref: Ben Toner.
Att: 3,865 (328 from Wycombe.)
