Gaz is left a-Gape by loanee Dominic

SCOTT Kashket’s remarkable goal-scoring run may have continued but Wycombe boss Gareth Ainsworth reserved special praise for on-loan Southampton man Dominic Gape.

This was not the Chairboys’ most comprehensive victory of their ten-game unbeaten streak but, in truth, Cheltenham never looked like grabbing the equaliser after Kashket fired home in the ninth minute.

The 20-year-old has now scored an incredible nine goals in his last seven games but midfielder Gape – whose loan deal expires on Tuesday – is another man Ainsworth hopes sticks around in January.

“Dominic’s performance was outstanding,” admitted Ainsworth. “He has calmness on the ball and tenacity off it and he will be an important player for us to keep hold of.

“What pleased me the most about the result was that we were average and won the game.

“Successful teams do that and that was the biggest plus out of this match. Cheltenham made life very tough for us in the second half but we managed to come through that.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for Gary Johnson, and if his teams keep playing like that then they’ll definitely stay up.”

Strike partner Adebayo Akinfenwa smartly teed Kashket up to fire home from 20 yards past Russell Griffiths – and the man of the moment proved a thorn in the Robins’ side all half.

Kashket was booked after referee Kevin Johnson decided that he had dived in the penalty area and Wycombe had another appeal turned down for handball.

Cheltenham, in trouble down in 23rd place, rallied after the break and went close with a Harry Pell header before substitutes James Dayton and Amari Morgan-Smith made impacts with their own efforts.

Their best chance of the half fell to Dan Holman, but former Robins goalkeeper Scott Brown was equal to it – now boss Gary Johnson has called for the ‘fighters’ in his team to front up in January.

“People have been training with us so they know changes in the transfer window are going to happen, but you’d expect them to want to be a part of those changes,” he said. “I’m not going to change the whole XI so some will keep their places.

“If they’re shrinking violets and have already got their chins on the floor because they think they’re on their way, we don’t want them anyway – because they’re not the fighters that we need.”