Post by QPR Report on Nov 25, 2008 23:00:28 GMT
And ex-QPR Tommy Doherty!
This is Local London
Blues too classy for Magpies
Notts Co 0, Wycombe 2.
THE last team to beat Wycombe Wanderers in a league match was Notts County, way back on April 26 but second half goals from Matt Harrold and Lewwis Spence made sure that there was no repeat as the Blues stretched their unbeaten league run to 17 matches.
Since that Meadow Lane reversal eight months ago, the Blues have been unstoppable charging to the top of the table.
They've had a change of manager with Peter Taylor replacing Paul Lambert who resigned after the play-off semi-final defeat against Stockport.
There has also been a big shake-up in personnel with only five members of the play-off squad in the starting line up tonight.
Pre-season looked a shambles with defeats against non-league opposition, but Wanderers hit the ground running swhen it mattered and County, beaten 6-1 at Dagenham on Saturday were the latest team to realise it is a different Wycombe this season.
Taylor's team of athletes have got that happy mixture of flair and grit that no-one has been able to better this season and they looked every inch of being genuine title contenders tonight as they controlled the match.
No wonder the shivering 234 travelling fans spent most of the second half echoing Peter Taylor's name around a near-empty Meadow Lane.
The hard-to-please gaffer made changes from Saturday's 4-2 win over Port Vale with a wholesale revamp of his midfield.
Out went Gary Holt, John Mousinho and Matty Phillips and in came Tommy Doherty, Franck Moussa and Lewwis Spence.
Spence took just two minutes to carve County open, playing in Angelo Balanta on the far side of the box. The on-loan Colombian had time and space on his side but failed to make the most of it seeing his shot easily saved.
Spence then had a go himself hooking a 20 yard lob just over the top of Russell Hoult's goal.
County looked as nervous as you would expect from a side who conceded half a dozen at the weekend and Wycombe passed the ball around them with ease.
Doherty was everywhere running the show for the Chairboys who look a much better side when he's fit and in the team.
But it was County who almost snatched the lead with Jamie Forrester's 17th minute diving header from a Lewis Neal corner being cleared off the line.
After that neither side really penetrated each other's defence with Balanta's dribbling looking the most likely way through for Wycombe and Lewis Neal on the left a threat for County.
Wanderers had been guilty of stepping off the pedal and Taylor knew it and it was a revved up again Wycombe that took the field in the second half.
With his team talk still fresh in their ears Wycombe wasted no time going into the lead into the second half as Matt Harrold continued his hot-streak in front of goal with his seventh of the season.
Not suprisingly it was Doherty and Balanta who were involved in the 47th minute breakthrough.
Doherty drove at the defence before slipping the ball wide to Balanta. The on-loan QPR teenager showed composure beyond his years waiting for Jamie Clapham to commit himself before slipping the ball round him and centreing low for Harrold to tuck in from close range.
The lead could have been doubled just two minutes later but a sprawling Hoult was just about equal to Moussa's long range daisy cutter.
But there was nothing the former Premiership keeper could do about Spence's bullet of a free kick which whistled past him from 25 yards on 63 minutes.
At times it was exhibition stuff for the 2,964 crowd with Zebroski and Spence both trying their luck from distance while substitute Phillips should have done much better than finding the keeper's gloves after a lightning Wycombe break led again by Doherty
www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/sport/sporttopstories/3877382.Blues_too_classy_for_Magpies/
This is Local London
Blues too classy for Magpies
Notts Co 0, Wycombe 2.
THE last team to beat Wycombe Wanderers in a league match was Notts County, way back on April 26 but second half goals from Matt Harrold and Lewwis Spence made sure that there was no repeat as the Blues stretched their unbeaten league run to 17 matches.
Since that Meadow Lane reversal eight months ago, the Blues have been unstoppable charging to the top of the table.
They've had a change of manager with Peter Taylor replacing Paul Lambert who resigned after the play-off semi-final defeat against Stockport.
There has also been a big shake-up in personnel with only five members of the play-off squad in the starting line up tonight.
Pre-season looked a shambles with defeats against non-league opposition, but Wanderers hit the ground running swhen it mattered and County, beaten 6-1 at Dagenham on Saturday were the latest team to realise it is a different Wycombe this season.
Taylor's team of athletes have got that happy mixture of flair and grit that no-one has been able to better this season and they looked every inch of being genuine title contenders tonight as they controlled the match.
No wonder the shivering 234 travelling fans spent most of the second half echoing Peter Taylor's name around a near-empty Meadow Lane.
The hard-to-please gaffer made changes from Saturday's 4-2 win over Port Vale with a wholesale revamp of his midfield.
Out went Gary Holt, John Mousinho and Matty Phillips and in came Tommy Doherty, Franck Moussa and Lewwis Spence.
Spence took just two minutes to carve County open, playing in Angelo Balanta on the far side of the box. The on-loan Colombian had time and space on his side but failed to make the most of it seeing his shot easily saved.
Spence then had a go himself hooking a 20 yard lob just over the top of Russell Hoult's goal.
County looked as nervous as you would expect from a side who conceded half a dozen at the weekend and Wycombe passed the ball around them with ease.
Doherty was everywhere running the show for the Chairboys who look a much better side when he's fit and in the team.
But it was County who almost snatched the lead with Jamie Forrester's 17th minute diving header from a Lewis Neal corner being cleared off the line.
After that neither side really penetrated each other's defence with Balanta's dribbling looking the most likely way through for Wycombe and Lewis Neal on the left a threat for County.
Wanderers had been guilty of stepping off the pedal and Taylor knew it and it was a revved up again Wycombe that took the field in the second half.
With his team talk still fresh in their ears Wycombe wasted no time going into the lead into the second half as Matt Harrold continued his hot-streak in front of goal with his seventh of the season.
Not suprisingly it was Doherty and Balanta who were involved in the 47th minute breakthrough.
Doherty drove at the defence before slipping the ball wide to Balanta. The on-loan QPR teenager showed composure beyond his years waiting for Jamie Clapham to commit himself before slipping the ball round him and centreing low for Harrold to tuck in from close range.
The lead could have been doubled just two minutes later but a sprawling Hoult was just about equal to Moussa's long range daisy cutter.
But there was nothing the former Premiership keeper could do about Spence's bullet of a free kick which whistled past him from 25 yards on 63 minutes.
At times it was exhibition stuff for the 2,964 crowd with Zebroski and Spence both trying their luck from distance while substitute Phillips should have done much better than finding the keeper's gloves after a lightning Wycombe break led again by Doherty
www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/sport/sporttopstories/3877382.Blues_too_classy_for_Magpies/