ROBINS TAMED BY THE BEAST
GARETH Ainsworth said Wycombe Wanderers’ victory at Cheltenham was ‘the big one’ as his side moved up to second in the League Two table.
First-half goals from Adebayo Akinfenwa and Paris Cowan-Hall were enough to seal the Chairboys’ seventh victory in eight games and take them to within five points of league leaders Luton Town.
“This was the big one and I am taking this as a good scalp for us on a lively pitch,” said Ainsworth – who this week saw an approach from a Championship club to speak to him rejected by the powers that be at Adams Park.
“Exeter, Swindon and Luton are the ones you get up for.
“But to come to Cheltenham after three good results, the levels still had to be high and we needed that win.
“It was a very professional performance and we worked on things in the week and we knew they’d try to do a job on Akinfenwa.
“It worked well and there were some great individual performances, but it was a good team performance.
“There is a long way to go, but we are at the right end of the table.”
Gary Johnson admitted his side were beaten by a superior team.
But the Cheltenham boss was disappointed his troops failed to offer a serious threat in the second half as they tried to reduce the deficit.
“The first goal was always going to be important,” Johnson said.
“We were coping well with their strikeforce.
“Then they scored a couple and it’s very difficult against good teams to get the game back as they manage the game very well.
“We didn’t do enough and we didn’t give ourselves a chance really because we didn’t create enough opportunities and we were beaten by a very good side.
“They took their chances as they have been all season.
“They didn’t have loads of chances, but they took their two when they came along and that was the difference.”
The first half was an even contest, with Carl Winchester forcing Wycombe goalkeeper Scott Brown into a parry with a powerful drive.
But Akinfenwa turned sharply in the 41st minute after Craig MackailSmith’s pass and he rolled a shot inside the bottom right corner to give the away side the lead.
Akinfenwa then set up Cowan-Hall, who finished well to make it 2-0 in stoppage time at the end of the first period.
Cheltenham made a double change at the break, with Brian Graham and Jerell Sellars going on. Graham did send a header just wide from a Kevin Dawson cross, but a comeback was never on the cards as Wycombe march on into the top two.