Spot-on Chairboys end home troubles
IF WYCOMBE Wanderers are going to avoid relegation this season, ending a ten-match run without a home win against league-leaders Chesterfield is not a bad place to start.
The Chairboys took all three points at Adams Park for the first time since October 12 courtesy of Max Kretzschmar’s 35th-minute penalty.
With Torquay United losing against Accrington Stanley, Gareth Ainsworth’s side opened up a five-point advantage to the relegation zone; no wonder ‘Happy’ by Pharrell Williams could be heard playing in the home dressing room after the game.
“I’m yet to calm down,” said Wanderers boss Ainsworth. “I’m proud of the players and fans. The reaction from them at full time was superb.
“I thought we deserved to win, and if anyone left here thinking Wycombe didn’t deserve to win, they don't know football. To a man everyone was outstanding.
“It’s been a while since we won at home, but I’ve always believed that we’ve got enough to beat anyone in this league.
“Mentally it’s a big stride and the lads have got to build upon this now.”
Beforehand, Wanderers had won as many times all season as their opponents had away from home, yet they were worthy victors.
Matt McClure almost headed an opener from Sam Wood’s cross early on, before he won the key penalty when his cross 11 minutes before the break was handled by Chesterfield captain Ian Evatt.
Kretzschmar fired straight as Spireites goalkeeper Tommy Lee dived to his right to score the game’s decisive goal, which actually came in the visitors best period of play.
Yet despite being the league’s top scorers, it took 87 minutes before Gary Roberts registered the visitors’ first shot on target.
To cap a miserable afternoon for the Spireites, manager and birthday boy Paul Cook was sent off in firsthalf stoppage-time by referee Dean Whitestone.
“I’ve not got any problems with the penalty,” said Cook, “But I’ve got a problem with him (Whitestone) sending me off for telling him to liven up. I felt he was losing the game.
“However, the officials played no part in our result here, it was of our own doing.
“We never found any tempo, we never had any chances, we were tame and inept and not good enough by any stretch of the imagination.
“Unfortunately that was as bad a performance as we’ve had in a long time.
“We’ve had a harsh lesson here, that there’s a long way to go this season, and we’ve got to get points out of games.”