Match Day Thread Wycombe Wanderers v PNE Adams Park 6/1/2018 fa cUP

Wycombe Wanderers Football Club /ˈwɪkəm/ is a professional association football club based in the town of High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England. The team play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football.

The club plays at Adams Park, which is situated on the western outskirts of High Wycombe, and they traditionally play in quartered shirts of navy (Oxford blue) and pale blue (Cambridge blue). The club's nicknames are "the Chairboys" and "the Blues".

The current manager of the club is Gareth Ainsworth, who was appointed as player/manager following a period during which he served as caretaker manager, after Gary Waddock was relieved of his duties following a 1–0 defeat at home to Wimbledon on 22 September 2012 Ainsworth retired from playing at the end of the 2012–13 season. He is assisted by Richard Dobson and Barry Richardson.

The club was awarded the Family Club of the Year award twice in a row in 2006–07 and 2007–08. This is the only time that the award has been given to the same club in consecutive seasons. The club received a Football League Family Excellence Award after the 2009–10, 2011–12 and 2013–14 seasons.

A first game against the Wanderers in several seasons, head to head meetings we have mostly come out on top although losing the 1994 play off final to Wanderers 4-2 was from memory the last time they beat us, still hold John Beck to blame for that one, playing Squires instead of Hicks a fatal mistake.
As stated we have a good record against the Chairboys including a narrow 1-0 win only scoring after Wanderers had had three players sent off,last time we met we scraped a 3-2 win in the final game before the medal winner took over.
Currently managed by ex Nobber Gareth Ainsworth who gave everything on the pitch they are a mirror image of their manager, not a team of stars but have a good experience of youth and experience with the likes of Bloomfield, Sunders, Jacobson and Mackail-Smith plus a few promising youngsters.
It would be amiss not to mention one Wanderers player Adebayo Akinfenwa a larger than life footballer with a bit of skill and he certainly knows were the goal is, top scorer this season as he was last season, may need to keep tabs on him although not easy to miss. A top dude he certainly is.
For us expect a few changes almost guarantee that Rudd will be between the sticks, may play others who have not got a lot of game time but will Moult and Bodin make their debuts, interesting times at Deepdale, expect us to win but this is no easy game.

Stat Attack: Wycombe Wanderers

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We make only our second visit to face Wycombe Wanderers in the FA Cup, having come out 1-0 winners on our previous visit in December 2013.

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Kevin Davies was our goalscorer that day, following our 6-0 victory over Barnet in the previous round, and we went on to face both Ipswich and Nottingham Forest twice before exiting the competition in a fourth round replay.

Today is our 357th match in the world’s most famous knockout competition and the 84th time we have played in the third round, although this has not always been the same stage of the competition.

Overall, this is our 104th game at this stage, with 18 replays and two second replays adding to the number of original ties.
This is the 39th time we have been drawn away in the third round and we have recorded 17 wins and nine draws from those 39 ties. Our biggest wins have been by 4-2 scorelines, at Lincoln in 1927 and Runcorn in 1939, whilst we lost 6-0 to Charlton in 1946, when the third round was played over two legs for the only time, as football returned after the Second World War.

We were drawn away at this stage two years ago and went down 2-0 at Peterborough United’s London Road ground. Two year earlier, we drew 1-1 at Portman Road and were 2-0 down at half-time in the replay. Enter substitute Joe Garner, whose second half hat-trick (the first by a North End sub) clinched the tie.

Last time we won a third round tie away from Deepdale was in 2002 when Eric Skora and Jon Macken saw us home 2-0 at Brighton’s Withdean Stadium home.

There are a couple of notable third round ties from the early days of our history. Our first game at this stage was against Eagley, from the outskirts of Bolton, back in 1893 and we ran out 9-1 winners. Two years later, we beat Bolton Wanderers 3-2 at their Pikes Lane ground, but we were subsequently disqualified after being found guilty of paying our players, which was an offence at the time. This was the second time this had happened to North End and William Sudell became the leading light in challenging the FA on player being paid.

As well as Wycombe manager and honorary North Ender Gareth Ainsworth, several other players count both clubs amongst those they have played for.
Stuart Beavon joined us from the Chairboys in 2012 and scored 12 goals in his 69 appearances before moving to Burton Albion. Paul Hayes left North End for Charlton before joining Wycombe and goalkeeper Iain Turner spent time at Adams Park as one of several loan spells he had whilst at Everton, which of course included his initial time at Deepdale.

Andy Lonergan also spent time on loan in Buckinghamshire whilst establishing himself on North End’s books and John Mousinho had time as a Chairboy earlier in his career. Barry Richardson, who kept goal for North End alongside Ainsworth back in the 1990s, made his Wycombe debut last January – aged 46!

On This Date
Unsurprisingly on the first weekend of the new year, FA Cup ties feature prominently amongst the games we have played on this date in previous years. In 1951, we overcame Leicester City 3-0 at Filbert Street thanks to Ken Horton’s goal and a double from Charlie Wayman.

Eleven years later, we struggled to overcome third division Watford 3-2 at Deepdale. Our only defeat on this date came in 2001 when we lost a third round tie at home to Stockport County before the most recent game seeing us record a 1-0 win over Sunderland at the same stage.

Three former players celebrate their birthdays today. Andy Carroll came on loan from Newcastle United in 2007 and is 29, whilst Stephen Elliott is 34. Another loan player in Bongani Khumalo made six appearances for North End before returning to Spurs and currently plays in South Africa for Bidvest Wits and is celebrating his 30th birthday.
Current Academy U18s coach Andy Fensome played his last game for North End in a 1-0 defeat at Barnet on this date in 1996 before joining Rochdale. Andy followed John Beck from Cambridge in 1993 and made 116 appearances at full back, scoring twice, before returning to the club after his playing career ended. One of Andy’s goal came from the penalty spot, when he scored at Stockport County in a League Cup tie played at Gigg Lane, Bury when Deepdale was unavailable as the plastic pitch was being replaced with grass.

Last Five Games At Adams Park
Wycombe Wanderers 0 Preston North End 1 (Davies), 7th December 2013
Wycombe Wanderers 3 (Ainsworth, Donnelly (pen), Beavon) Preston North End 4 (Mellor, 2; Hume, 2), 27th September 2011
Wycombe Wanderers 1 (Devine) Preston North End 1 (Nogan), 21st August 1999
Wycombe Wanderers 0 Preston North End 1 (Nogan), 8th September 1998
Wycombe Wanderers 0 Preston North End 0, 27th September 1997

Ref Watch: Wycombe Wanderers
This Saturday’s match official, for the Emirates FA Cup third round tie against Wycombe Wanderers, is taking charge of his second PNE match of 2017/18.

The referee is Peter Bankes, who took charge both of the last two seasons’ clashes with Aston Villa at Deepdale. The first of those was his first of two North End games in 2016/17, also officiating the game against Leeds United at Elland Road in April 2017.

Last season’s clash with the Villans was his third visit to Deepdale as a referee. His first was the 2014/15 season’s 3-2 home win over Port Vale in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy and then in 2015/16 season he was here for the last game of 2015, when we defeated Hull City 1-0 just after Christmas.

This is his fourth year on the EFL referee’s list and his second year in the Select Group Two, and he also took charge of our win at Chesterfield in February 2015, when Joe Garner scored twice on his return from a period out injured.

The assistants on Saturday afternoon will be Tim Wood and Callum Walchester, with Chris O’Donnell acting as fourth official.

 

Wycombe Wanderers 1 (O'Nein) Preston North End 5 (Harrop 2 Browne 2 Horgan)

Wycombe Wanderers line-up: Brown, Bean, Jacobson (Cowan-Hall, 79), Scarr, El-Abd ©, O’Nien, Bloomfield (Kashket, 71), Saunders (De Havilland, 46), Freeman, Tyson, Akinfenwa. Subs not used: Ma-Kalambay, Gape, Southwell, Mackail-Smith.

PNE line-up: Rudd, Woods (Boyle, 78), Cunningham, Welsh, Clarke ©, Huntington, Bodin (Johnson, 79), Browne, Robinson (Robinson, 85), Harrop, Horgan. Subs not used: Hudson, Vermijl, O’Connor, Barkhuizen.

Attendance: 4,928 (791 PNE fans)

Referee: Mr P Bankes

Apparently North End's biggest away win since beating Middlesbrough Ironopolis 7-0 in the 1890's and that was probably as stroll as well.
Neil got it spot on with the team selection, keeping a strong back four, Rudd made his official debut as a North End player as did Bodin, although other new signing Moult still a week away from fitness.
Any early worries were put to bed after 90 seconds when Harrop curled in a stunner from a 25 yard free kick, which credit must also be given to the referee who tried to play an advantage, but with none coming blew for the free kick.
North End were having plenty of joy down both wings and looked capable of scoring at any time, denied by some decent keeping and some stout defending.
Took Wanderers a while to get into the game with the ball to Akinfenwa being the most likely way they would get a break through, caused us a bit of trouble and had a couple of half chances, one shot over the top and one on target which was pushed to safety by Rudd. North End weathered the storm and doubled their lead , good work by Bodin initially before the ball found it's way to Browne 20 plus yards out left footed volley 2-0. On the stroke of half time Wycombe scored, bit of laziness at the back starting with Rudd rolling the ball to Clarke who hadn't realised he had been given the ball, cleared the danger but the home side got a throw in on the right. For once Bean didn't foul throw, ball to O'Nein shot deflected of Horgan, Wycombe back in it.
Could have been a tough second half but two goal lead soon restored, Horgan easily got passed De Haviland and his shot flicked off the defender over Brown, comfort zone again. This time no slip ups, Wycome tried their best had a couple of near misses but North End were comfortable, near the end a foul on Huntington in the box, Browne converted, there was still time for a fifth, lovely team goal as well, Horgan to Cunningham his cross from deep was powerfully headed home by the classy Harrop from 12 yards.
Professional performance and in the absence of Hugill interesting to note how much better football we play without having to lump the ball forward.
Probably get Yeovil away next but at least we are in the next round.

Wycombe manager Gareth Ainsworth:

"The upset went out of the window in the first minute and we were outdone by a much better team today.

"Fair play to Alex Neil, he's got his team working really well.

"It's the best Preston team I've seen for a long, long time and I think they've got a real chance this year of making the play-offs."

Preston boss Alex Neil:

"Whenever you come away to any lower-league opposition, the first thing you're going to have to do is match them for effort, endeavour, willingness to win and willingness to work.

"We did all that and what we've got is some real quality players within our group and I thought that shone and came through.

"I thought the standard of some of the goals was excellent."

 

well respected by NE supporters.I hope Ainsworth does well in his managerial career.