TEDDY’S LIFTED BY SCORING KEEPER
AFREAK goal from Stevenage goalkeeper Jesse Joronen helped them a first win in seven, but boss Teddy Sheringham insisted there was nothing fortunate about Armand Gnanduillet’s winner on his home debut.
Stopper Joronen’s speculative punt upfield on ten minutes was misjudged by opposite number Matt Ingram, sailing over his head to open the scoring.
And Gnanduillet’s brilliant bullet header made the points safe, with Max Kretzschmar’s late effort a mere consolation.
Former Spurs striker Sheringham has found managerial life tough so far at Broadhall Way, but was delighted to see loan signing from Chesterfield Gnanduillet prove he is set to be a shrewd acquisition.
“We identified Armand Gnanduillet and saw that we needed that type of player to hold the ball up and he was excellent,” said Sheringham.
“It makes a massive difference when you are keeping the ball at that end of the field, it takes the pressure off the defenders.
“I looked at a lot of footage of Armand and saw he gets himself into good areas and that goal wasn’t a fluke. He keeps getting himself in there and he will get his rewards.
“But I don’t mind how we win.Yes it would be nice to keep a clean sheet but they are a good side and will be having a go at us.We stood firm and I am delighted with the three points.
“I didn’t think it was windy enough or slippery enough for us to get a goal like that first up, but we will take it at the moment when you are struggling down at the wrong end of the table.”
After Finland goalkeeper Joronen had opened the scoring in the most bizarre of circumstances, there was little between the two sides for the remainder of the half.
Shortly before the interval, Gnanduillet stooped low to head Jerome Okimo’s cross onto the bar, but he wasn’t to be denied for long. After the break he met a corner from the left with a thumping header to double Boro’s advantage.
Late on Wycombe substitute Michael Harriman crossed for Kretzschmar to set up a grandstand finish, but Southampton loanee Jason McCarthy headed the best opportunity over the crossbar.
“It was a spirited second half performance,” Wycombe boss Gareth Ainsworth said.
“I thought we were going to get an equaliser, but it wasn’t meant to be. The changes made a big difference, Harriman wasn’t fit to start but excellent when he came on.
“We conceded two extremely poor goals by our standards. The first one is a complete fluke that we will be seeing on the bloopers for years to come and the second one is really poor defending by our standards.
“We are still learning.We have a very small squad and a very small budget and mid-table is probably where we will finish, but we are always aiming for higher.
“I thought Jason McCarthy played really well considering it was his first start in the Football League. For a 19-year-old he was excellent.”