Ainsworth proud of Wycombe as Black Cats claw back point
Gareth Ainsworth thinks Wycombe Wanderers can be proud of their performance after taking a point from title favourites Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
In front of a 30,000-plus crowd on Wearside, the Chairboys gave the Black Cats a real scare by taking the lead deep into the second half.
While Sunderland battled back to earn a point, the result wasn’t enough to prevent Jack Ross’ side from maintaining second spot in the table and extend their winning run to nine matches.
Wycombe winger Fred Onyedinma powered the visitors ahead in the 66th minute to raise hope of an unlikely away win.
But, with time running out, substitute Josh Maja struck his 11th goal of the season to prevent a second league defeat of the season for Sunderland.
Ainsworth, whose side now sit 15th, said: “It was a superb performance by the boys. I thought we were the better side in the first half and up to the goal it was very even but, after the goal, Sunderland piled some serious pressure on us.
“Once one goal comes at this fantastic football club, the fans are behind them and it could have been two. We’ve competed with what I think is the league’s best team. Jack Ross is a fantastic manager and this is a proper football club.
“I don’t think teams underestimate us, I think they respect us. We really do punch above our weight so to come here and be on the front foot was something we wanted to do. They’re a team that should be in a higher league.”
Maja is an academy graduate at Sunderland and he is certainly taking his chance this season. He is out of contract in the summer and has clubs monitoring him at higher levels, having proven his quality as a finisher. Ross said: “I know he will be here with me until minimum January and I would hope longer, but you can’t say that with any certainty, but I hope he will be at Sunderland.
“I do know he is enjoying his football, playing regularly and you sometimes forget how young he is and to score 11 goals he deserves huge credit for that.
“I believe we will continue to improve him, but there are not that many better clubs than this, so there are a whole lot of things for him to consider.
“Every player deserves credit for making a contribution to get something from the game.”