Adams Park – Adams Parks The Bus…
Morecambe made the long journey to High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire again today to face a Wanderers team against which they have a very poor record historically. In the twenty EFL games they have contested over the years, the Chairboys have won half of them and only lost five. Last season in League One at this venue, Gareth Ainsworth’s men came from two down at half time to win the game 4-3 as Stephen Robinson’s team simply fell apart defensively during the second half. However, in one of Robbo’s few late successes before he fled to Scotland, the Shrimps were able to overcome today’s opponents by the odd goal in five at the Maz last January.
Before the game at Adams Park, Wycombe were unlucky thirteenth in League One; Morecambe rock bottom. But having won three out of their previous two League One matches (two away from home), Wanderers slipped-up at home last Tuesday night and lost 2-3 to Cambridge United. Meanwhile, today’s opponents were tamely losing to relegation rivals Cheltenham Town at Whaddon Road after playing well for the opening period of the game. So the omens for Derek Adams’ men were not promising today.
King Derek expressed his disappointment with his team’s poor performance at Cheltenham as soon as the game ended. Today, he was even more succinct than usual before the match:
“We need to get three points. Three points is big in this league, and it allows you to move up the table quickly. It would’ve been perfect to get three points the other night because we’d have caught the teams above us, but we’ve got another opportunity to do that on Saturday.”
He shook-up the team from last Tuesday’s disappointment. Cole Stockton was relegated to the bench after a lackadaisical display and there was no place for either Ousmane Fané or Farrend Rawson in the squad at all due to suspension due to the Yellow Card totting-up procedure. Caleb Watts, Anthony O’Connor and – perhaps surprisingly – Donald Love replaced them.
Opposite Number and Blackburn lad Gareth Ainsworth said this about the upcoming clash yesterday:
“There’s no teams in this league that you can just dismiss or write-off. Morecambe are scrapping for their lives. Cole Stockton scored numerous goals last season and they have some real match winners in their side.”
In sharp contrast to last season’s game at this venue – which was played in a monsoon – it was sunny as the match kicked-off in Buckinghamshire. Morecambe – with Donald Love pushed slightly further up from the defence than usual – were on the defensive early on with Ryan Cooney making a good block early doors. He was then hurt after five minutes following an accidental clash of heads with Jordan Obita and had to be treated on the field. Almost ten minutes had been played when Lewis Wing combined with Obita in the box but the latter’s resulting shot went way over Connor Ripley’s bar. At the other end, Love found Caleb Watts on the left wing from a free-kick with eleven minutes played after the midfielder had been fouled. Caleb cleverly cut inside and worked a position for himself but his weak shot was straight at Max Stryjek in the home goal. The eighteenth minute saw Jacob Bedeau make a fantastic block to smother the danger of a Wanderers attack. In the twenty-first minute, though, Garath McCleary got away down the Wycombe right, slung over a cross and unmarked defender Chris Forino headed home past a helpless Ripley to put the Chairboys one goal to the good.
It was Family Fun Day today at Adams Park and it was unusual to hear obviously very juvenile voices loudly urging Wanderers forward once they had gone ahead. As Kieran Phillips looked increasingly isolated up front for the visitors, the home team continued to ask most of the questions. They scored another `goal’ from Sam Vokes’ tremendous header after 32 minutes but Morecambe were saved by a raised linesman’s flag for a foul during the build-up as the striker took a ride on a defender’s back before finishing. The away team had a good chance to equalise after a quick corner kick by Jensen Weir with thirty-three minutes on the clock. After a mix-up in the home penalty area, Jensen found Watts in a good position but his shot went agonisingly just wide of the post. At the other end, Wycombe Captain Joe Jacobson swerved one of his deadly corners right into the goal-mouth but Ripley was equal to it with a slightly tentative punch after 36 minutes. The visiting goalkeeper then redeemed himself with a tremendous save from Anis Mehmeti’s screamer after forty minutes at the cost of a corner which he then punched away far more decisively.
So the half ended with Wycombe’s performance on the field so far adding to the Family Fun day off it. They had most of the ball and created nearly all of the chances as Morecambe chased the game and offered very little themselves going forward.
Wycombe started the second period on the front foot as well and forced a corner which the visitors struggled to clear almost straight from kick-off. Ripley was forced to make a fairly routine stop from a weak shot by Obita after forty-eight minutes. He then made a simply superlative save from an instant volley by Vokes at the cost of a corner just two minutes later, somehow or other managing to push a shot seemingly bound for the top corner of the net over the bar. It was All Hands to the Pump for Morecambe at this point as Jacobson headed wide after 51 minutes and then Ryan Delaney was forced to make an excellent block from Wing following good play by Mehmeti only moments later. As the home team racked-up their Corner Kick Count, Watts was found by a long goal kick and ran forwards only to fail to seriously test the home team’s Reading loanee goalkeeper with a poor attempt. Weir then played a one-two with Liam Shaw and Liam fairly hammered a shot on goal which Stryjek did really well to push away for a corner. Cooney took this long; Shaw headed it back into the centre and still photographs taken from behind the goal prove that Jacobson’s arm definitely helped it over the dead ball line for a goal kick. The man who matters, though – Referee Alan Young – clearly didn’t see this. As Watts went off to be replaced by Cole Stockton after an hour, Morecambe were enjoying their best period in the match. Phillips had a weak shot deflected into the arms of the home goalkeeper. As the home crowd fell silent, Love then took a shot at goal which went horribly wide after seventy minutes. For the hosts, McCleary emulated Donald’s wild strike a few minutes later. Adam Mayor came on with twenty minutes left and his first action was to find Cole the Goal, whose attempt was blocked for a throw-in. Morecambe’s nearest attempt to equalise so far arrived in the eightieth minute when Shaw’s fierce drive was brilliantly pushed against the post by Stryjek at the expense of a corner. Substitute Mayor took this and emulated Jacobson’s strike for Wycombe last year by whipping the ball straight into the net from the dead ball kick. Well done that man – and this was his first league goal for the club. Wanderers tried and failed to recreate the momentum they had in the earlier parts of the game after this – and failed. Right at the death, Mayor wasted a golden opportunity to win it for the visitors when one-on-one with the home goalkeeper as Cole had done well to make sure the ball ran through to him. But Stryjek again rushed from his goal and denied him with a tremendous save. The ball went straight to the other end and substitute Brandon Hanlan seemed to have won it for the men in the blue strips by burying the ball in the net during injury time but the goal was again struck-off for a foul on Jacob Bedeau in the build-up.
I suggested earlier that Derek Adams Parked The Bus at this venue today. It makes a good headline which I couldn’t resist but it isn’t true. Morecambe rode their luck in the first half as the hosts looked by far the better team. But they gradually took control of the game in the second period and deservedly pulled the deficit back with a wonder goal. With a bit more luck – and more eagle-eyed officials – they would have also been awarded a penalty for hand-ball by the home Skipper as well. Home goalkeeper Max Stryjek also excelled himself to keep the Shrimps out single-handedly at times this afternoon.
The point saw the Shrimps move a single position away from the bottom of League One as Burton lost 4-2 at Sheffield Wednesday and dropped beneath them. They are a single point behind FGR – who also lost today; 2-0 at Barnsley – but have a game in hand over them. Safety lies just four points away. With Accrington being walloped 3-0 at Fleetwood; Bristol Rovers losing 4-2 at Derby and Cheltenham and the Plastic People playing-out a goal-less bore, there is still plenty of reason for optimism for Derek Adams’ side. The great man said himself after the game:
“I thought we were excellent today. I think we’re obviously disappointed to only be coming away with a point – that says something when you come to Wycombe. They’ve obviously been a Championship club just come down to League One and very dominant at home. It was very good today because it’s a really difficult venue to come to. We deserved more than the point today. We hit the post twice and had other opportunities in the game and rarely do you come to Wycombe and that is the case.”
Wycombe Wanderers: 1 Max Stryjek (Y); 3 Joe Jacobson (C); 5 Chris Forino; 9 Sam Vokes; 10 Lewis Wing; 11 Anis Mehmeti; 12 Garath McCleary (18 Brandon Hanlan 75’); 20 Alfie Mawson (Y); 22 Nick Freeman; 23 Jordan Obita; 26 Jason McCarthy.
Subs not used: 2 Jack Grimmer; 7 David Wheeler; 16 Sullay Kaikai; 17 Daryl Horgan; 21 D’Mani Mellor; 30 Joshua Blunkell.
Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley; 2 Donald Love (C) (Y); 4 Liam Gibson (Y); 6 Ryan Delaney; 15 Jensen Weir (Y) (18 Shane McLoughlin 80’); 16 Jacob Bedeau; 17 Caleb Watts (9 Cole Stockton 61’); 20 Liam Shaw; 21 Ryan Cooney; 22 Anthony O’Connor; 23 Kieran Phillips (25 Adam Mayor 72’).
Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 11 Dylan Connolly; 14 Arthur Gnahoua; 19 Jon Obika.
Ref: Alan Young.
Att: 6,263 (138 from Morecambe)
