The S24 Preview: Southend United v Wycombe Wanderers

Last updated : 24 January 2010 By exiledessexboy
v Wycombe Wanderers

SHRIMPERS

It's looking unlikely that Lee Barnard will play one last time for the club with the report that Southampton have made an increased offer plus a player, Matt Paterson, who was seen at the Shrimpers training ground Thursday.

If he does go young Scott Spencer could be a decent find by the club and might start anyway, I would presume the new boy would be on the bench at this stage.

M'Voto will certainly not start which is correct, he'll be a very important player for us until May, and there's another reserve game next Tuesday.

Sankofa should improve now he's had a full game under his belt and with Swindon Town next up, they have more ammunition than, bless him, Matty Harrold up front.

Start with the same eleven as last week with Scott Malone playing the last game of his second loan period.

Johnny Herd will be waiting for Tilly's decision on keeping the Wolves loanee for another month or not.

Only comments on the last two games is to see the Moose get more involved now he's in his favoured position, still feels he needs a rest, and come on Laurent. All that talent, use those Bambi legs for good and tear that Wycombe defence apart, 26 goals let in away from home.

As someone who sits in the west stand near the Blue Voice I have no doubt they will be getting behind the team who will need the support more than ever, let's hope we hear a real Roots Hall roar from the other areas as well.

Anything less than three points could make the league table dodgy reading around 17.00, so COME ON YOU BLUES, and a 2-0 win, with or without the good Lord!

Possible Southend United:
Mildenhall, Sankofa, Francis, Barrett, Malone, Laurent, McCormack, Moussa, Scannell, Spencer.

Subs: Joyce, Herd, Christophe, Walker, Freedman, Asante, Paterson.

OPPOSITION

Goalkeeper Steve Arnold and midfielder Dean Keats have signed for Wycombe until the end of the season after they were released by their former clubs while Josh Payne has joined on loan from West Ham.

Midfielder Scott Davies has returned to parent club Reading after a three-month loan spell while goalkeeper Jamie Young has left the club after his contract was cancelled by mutual consent.

Young joins midfielder Tommy Doherty in leaving Wycombe boss Gary Waddock's side in the last week.

Midfielders Lewis Montrose, Matt Bloomfield, Lewis Spence and Ian Westlake are all out through knee injuries while ex-Blue defender Leon Johnson recovers from a hip operation.

They should be starting with former Shrimpers; Lewis Hunt, Kevin Betsy and Matt Harrold, but not Alex Revell who will not play for the Chairboys until the end of the month.

21Oldham Athletic 2435411143369156810202926-9
22Tranmere Rovers 2452515171296266414214322-22
23Wycombe Wanderers 27338142114812284716264919-23
24Stockport County 24129112723710213516214814-27

Last Time Out - Wycombe Wanderers 1-2 Charlton Athletic

A gutsy display ended in narrow defeat for Wycombe Wanderers as they slumped to their eighth home defeat of the season against Charlton.

Goals from Jonjo Shelvey and Nicky Bailey heaped more relegation misery on Wanderers who remain six points from League One safety and having played up to three games more than the sides around them.

They had battled hard to force their way back into the game with Jon-Paul Pittman drawing them level in the second-half for the second game running.

Blues boss Gary Waddock made one change to the side that earned a brilliant draw at Elland Road last weekend with Stuart Green replacing wantaway midfielder Tommy Doherty in the engine room.

Doherty walked out on the club this week after a long running feud with Waddock with Green making his first appearance since the FA Cup first round replay defeat at Brighton on November 18.

Scott Davies started the game - his last before his loan spell ended and he returned to Reading - with Kevin Betsy, who signed on a free transfer until the end of the season starting on the bench.

Christian Dailly returned for the Addicks at the back with top scorer Dean Burton returning from a ban for Phil Parkinson's side.

The game started brightly with Charlton centre-back Bailey - the club's second highest goalscorer of the season with eight goals - popping up on the edge of the box for a well-worked corner by Grant Basey which fooled everyone but with the defender seeing his shot blocked.

Adams Park was stunned on six minutes when Stuart Beavon, again operating as an attacking midfielder behind Matt Harrold and Pittman, waltzed through the static Charlton defence but fired inches wide when one-on-one with Rob Elliot.

No-one could believe he had missed but the home side were continuing their good form and performances against Norwich and Leeds and looked the more likely to score in the opening exchanges with their positive formation and attitude.

They were made to pay for Beavon's early miss on 11 minutes when Lloyd Sam cut the ball back from the byline for 17-year-old Jonjo Shelvey to sweep the ball into the bottom corner for 1-0. They nearly went further behind minutes later when David Mooney forced a near post save from Scott Shearer.

But Wycombe were by no means out of the game and continued to look dangerous going forward with the spine of the Addicks looking increasingly vulnerable again when Lewis Hunt was able to cut in from right back and march through to shoot over from 25 yards out.

The energy and pace of the opening 20 minutes faded with a heavy pitch affecting play but with the away fans in the Dreams stand silenced as their side were penned back into their half for long periods.

But the dangerous Sam - brave enough to wear yellow boots - continued to pop up all over the park and cross well for Mooney with Hunt leaping well to clear the ball.

For Wycombe, Harrold was holding up the ball well and winning his aerial dual with veteran 36-year-old former Scotland international Christian Dailly with Pittman's pace unsettling the Addicks backline. But they were not able to create any of the clear cut chances that their pressure needed.

Five minutes before the break Harrold drew a foul by Jose Semedo with the outgoing Davies lining up the 20 yard kick but he saw his effort blocked by the wall.

Straight away Charlton broke well with Mooney cutting the ball back for Burton who drew a fine low save from Shearer. Minutes later Harrold rose well again to head the ball down to Chris Westwood with the defender tamely firing at Elliot.

In truth, it was the worst player for the ball to fall to but Blues headed into half-time with confidence that they could force their way back into the game based on their first half performance.

Wanderers had come back from half-time deficits three times this season and tried to pick up where they left off in the second half. And they needed their home fans to rally behind their side with the crowd surprisingly subdued at Adams Park.

Charlton nearly doubled their lead early in the second half when Mooney pounced on a poor Woodman clearance with his shot saved by Shearer and trickling just wide with Shelvey heading the resulting corner straight at the Blues shot stopper.

The next goal would be crucial in this game. It is an old football cliche but it was ringing true and if Wycombe could drag themselves level they looked like they could cause an upset. But that was a big if.

Cries of 'penalty' from the home fans roared around the ground when a deep cross by Craig Woodman was headed back by Pittman to Harrold, who with his back to goal, collided with Elliot and went to ground but with the protests waved away by the referee. It would have been a harsh decision.

But Wycombe were definitely in this game without creating any clear-cut chances.

They were given an almighty scare on 60 minutes when Shelvey slid Basey in with superb through ball only for the Charlton man to see his low cross into the box scrambled away.

Minutes later Blues got the reward for their good play when Green darted down the wing but mishit his cross into the box. Luckily it fell for Pittman who spun well and smashed the ball in for 1-1 on 64 minutes for his second goal in two games.

Waddock immediately threw on Matt Phillips and Betsy to try and force a winner replacing Stuart Green and Stuart Beavon. The Adams Park faithful had been woken by the equaliser and urged their team on with Phillips driving just wide moments later.

Charlton had to go for a winner themselves with promotion points at stake throwing on Chris Dickson and Leon McKenzie up front and pushing hard in front of their 2.000 travelling fans.

Wycombe hearts were broken on 77 minutes when Addicks skipper Bailey was the quickest to react after a goalmouth scramble to fire in for 2-1. It was harsh on the home side who had more than deserved to level in the game but were rocked by the goal.

Phillips again came close when he got on the end of a cross but could only see his powerful shot blocked when it looked like heading into the top corner.

Wycombe never gave up and continued to believe they could claw themselves back into the game yet again but were leaving gaps at the back as they pressed with Charlton threatening to exploit them and finish off the game.

Blues were handed a lifeline when the assistant referee showed five minutes of added time but they could not create that one final chance as the game ended in defeat.

Wycombe Wanderers: Shearer 7, HUNT 8, Woodman 7, Westwood 7, Hinshelwood 7, Mousinho 7, Green 7 (Phillips 65 8), Davies 7, Beavon 7 (Betsy 65 7), Pittman 7, Harrold 7.

Subs not used: Young, Oliver, Fitchett, Harris.

Booked: None.

Att: 6,123.

(Report by Greg Burns on www.buckinghamshireadvertiser.co.uk)

PREVIOUSLY

At Southend Utd. (3)At Wycombe Wdrs. (3)
ResultsTotal%ResultsTotal%
Southend Utd.00.00Wycombe Wdrs.133.33
Wycombe Wdrs.3100.00Southend Utd.133.33
Draws00.00Draws133.33
GoalsTotalAv.pgGoalsTotalAv.pg
Southend Utd.20.67Wycombe Wdrs.51.67
Wycombe Wdrs.51.67Southend Utd.31.00
On Neutral Ground (0)Overall (6 matches)
ResultsTotal%ResultsTotal%
Southend Utd.00.00Southend Utd.116.67
Wycombe Wdrs.00.00Wycombe Wdrs.466.67
Draws00.00Draws116.67
GoalsTotalAv.pgGoalsTotalAv.pg
Southend Utd.00.00Southend Utd.50.83
Wycombe Wdrs.00.00Wycombe Wdrs.101.67
Records
Highest Aggregate5Wycombe Wdrs. 4 - 1Southend Utd.1997/1998
Highest Southend Utd. score:1Wycombe Wdrs. 0 - 1Southend Utd.2004/2005
Highest Wycombe Wdrs. score:4Wycombe Wdrs. 4 - 1Southend Utd.1997/1998
SeasonDateHomeScoreAwayCompetition
2009/2010Tue 18 AugWycombe Wdrs.1 - 1Southend Utd.League One
2004/2005Sun 26 DecWycombe Wdrs.0 - 1Southend Utd.League Two
Sat 11 SepSouthend Utd.1 - 2Wycombe Wdrs.League Two
1997/1998Sun 28 DecSouthend Utd.1 - 2Wycombe Wdrs.League Division Two
Tue 09 DecSouthend Utd.0 - 1Wycombe Wdrs.(Associate Members)
Tue 02 SepWycombe Wdrs.4 - 1Southend Utd.League Division Two

REF

The man in the middle is Dean Whitestone from Northampton.

FIXTURES

Saturday, January 23rd, 2010; (all kick-offs 15.00 unless stated): Bristol Rovers v Hartlepool, Carlisle v Stockport, Gillingham v Colchester, MK Dons v Tranmere, Norwich v Brentford, Oldham v Millwall, Southend v Wycombe, Yeovil v Exeter.

Monday, January 25th, 2010:
Charlton v Leyton Orient, 19.45.

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010;
(all kick-offs 19.45): Brentford v Southampton, Colchester v MK Dons, Exeter v Carlisle, Hartlepool v Gillingham, Millwall v Southend, Stockport v Brighton, Swindon v Leeds United, Tranmere v Yeovil, Walsall v Norwich.

BET

To Win:

Southend - 4/5, Draw - 13/5, Wycombe - 4.

For all the footy odds go here: www.oddschecker.com/football/english/league-one

HISTORY

The club was founded in 1887 by a group of furniture-makers, and settled at Loakes Park in High Wycombe in 1895. From 1896 they played in the Southern League, but had little success in a league dominated by professional teams.

They moved to the Great Western Suburban League in 1908 and to the Spartan League after the First World War. After winning the Spartan League they joined the Isthmian League in 1921. Although they won the FA Amateur Cup in 1931 it would be 1956 before they won the first of eight Isthmian League titles.

Wycombe Wanderers famous navy and light-blue quartered kit is described as Oxford and Cambridge Blue in their early days, although the club had no connection with the Universities, the players being local working men. The two blues have also been attributed to the town colours of High Wycombe. Wycombe Wanderers have used variations of their famous quartered kit, but due to supporter pressure, have left their football strip largely unchanged since 1996-97.

The club's average league attendance was 5,109 in the 2008/09 season.

There are two elected fan representatives on the club board, one from each of the two former Supporters Trusts, which have now combined

You gotta love 'em as Wycombe's main rivals are considered to be Colchester United. Whilst not a local rivalry, there is a history between the two clubs going back to the 1985/86 season, when Wycombe, then a non-league club, defeated Colchester 2-0 in an FA Cup tie marred by crowd trouble at Loakes Park.

Colchester and Wycombe were also involved in a two-horse race for the Conference title throughout the 1991/92 season, during which Colchester defeated Wycombe 2-1 at Adams Park with an injury-time wind-assisted winner from their goalkeeper, Scott Barrett.

Another controversial meeting was during the 1998/99 season. Relegation-threatened Wycombe were leading Colchester 2-1 at Adams Park until the ninth minute of stoppage time, when Colchester were awarded, and converted, an equalising penalty.

The 2008/09 season started well for Wycombe, with them embarking on an 18 match unbeaten run in the league, from the start of the season until December 6th when this was ended by Aldershot Town, who beat Wycombe 3-2. Wycombe's unbeaten home record in the league was ended by Grimsby Town, when the 'table toppers' were beaten 1-0.

On the last day of the season they managed to get promoted, even though they lost and the teams either side of them (before the last match was played) in the league table won. The 4th place team, Bury F.C. , had the same amounts of points as Wycombe but 1 less goal difference.

Wycombe had a disappointing start to 2009/10 and after picking up just six points from their first 11 games, they parted company with ex-Shrimper and England Under-21 manager Peter Taylor.

The Chairboys appointed Gary Waddock from League Two Aldershot Town to become the new manager with his first game being a 1-1 draw against those hated rivals the Farmers.

For a more comprehensive history of the club, go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wycombe_Wanderers_F.C.