Ainsworth toasts five years with Chairboys

GARETH Ainsworth was purring at his side’s performance as Wycombe made it three wins in a week with a convincing victory over Barnet.

Adebayo Akinfenwa opened the scoring against the run of play, before Josh Umerah’s first Football League goal doubled the Chairboys’ advantage.

Nick Freeman’s emphatic finish on 76 minutes put the game beyond doubt before Mauro Vilhete scored a consolation goal for the away side.

And Ainsworth, who celebrated his fifth anniversary as Wycombe boss this week, was delighted for his team.

Ainsworth said: “Three wins in a week is always nice. It’s been fantastic for the club.

“We looked very threatening going forward but were slightly shaky at times. I know Barnet got a goal but even then I thought we were still in control of the game.

“The two subs coming on were fantastic. Josh scored his first goal which was a great moment and it was brilliant to see Nick Freeman’s goal fly in.

“We have a few injuries but I think we’ve got a really good squad.

“A few injuries would have killed us last season but we’re playing well now.”

Barnet started the game brightly, going close with efforts from Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro, Shaquile Coulthirst and Andre Blackman.

But Wycombe took the lead when an unmarked Akinfenwa headed Nathan Tyson’s looping ball from the left on 23 minutes.

They doubled their lead 20 minutes after the restart when Umerah scrambled in Akinfenwa’s knock down from a long ball.

Substitute Freeman made it 3-0, chasing a seemingly lost cause before outmuscling Ricardo Santos and crashing the ball in.

Barnet restored some pride when Vilhete volleyed in Simeon Akinola’s deflected shot as Wycombe ran out comfortable winners.

It’s now four losses in five games for the Bees and boss Rossi Eames insisted his side’s defeat was not the fault of his players, taking the responsibility himself.

He said: “Wycombe's goals were avoidable. We need to analyse the game properly but I think there were a lot of positives to take from the game.

“We started well but that’s not enough. We must defend better than we did I have to do my job much better because these sorts of goals we concede cannot continue to happen. It’s not the fault of the players, it’s my fault.”