Wycombe Wanderers vs Torquay United

[Jeff]

Phew, just got back after a slightly round-the-houses trip home due to someones clever idea to close the Wycombe entrance to the M40............

Well, where to begin?! We were pretty awesome, I'd put tonights result up there with one of the great awayday performances of recent times. We were outstanding to a man, and for most of the second half it was wave after wave of attack. For as good as we were, I still stand by my comment that Wycombe were awful - hopefully the reasons will come through in the following summary - for anyone to say that the result flattered us is truly deluded.

So, onto the match. We started pretty brightly, but were undone by Wycombes first attack of the match. The oft-dangerous Kevin Betsy went at Mansell down the flank, and had him backtracking into the box. Just as Betsy changed direction at the crucial moment, Manse lost his footing on what was clearly a slick pitch. This allowed Betsy a free run and cross, which Beavon turned towards goal only be thwarted by an outstanding point-blank save by his namesake. However the rebound fell kindly for Beavon to have another bite, which was seemingly blocked on the line by Branston (I think) - although it was down our end it was hard to be sure if it crossed the line or not, but to be fair the lino gave it straight away and none of our players protested. Pretty sickening though.

The next 35mins or so followed a similar pattern - slick and confident build up from us, without resulting in any real clear cut goal scoring opportunities. Zebroski did go through absolutely clean through, but was denied by a superb last-ditch tackle before he could pull the trigger. Hemmings was giving their Right Back an absolute roasting, inside outside upside down, and won us quite a few corners and free-kicks but his crossing wasn't much cop. From one free kick Ellis had a free-ish header at the back post which skewed badly wide, whilst O'Kane had a long ranger which had a similar effect. We wern't really testing Nicky Bull.

Until eventually one of our corners was nearly turned in by Ellis at the back post - it was only half cleared to Wroe on the edge of the box. It took a bounce which brought it up to an awkward height, and Nicky was obliged to take a touch to steady himself. Initially it looked like that touch was too heavy and would allow him to be closed down, but fortunately for us Nicky's boot connected with it first and it slammed into the top left hand corner. No more than our pressure deserved.

Each side had one more opportunity before half-time. Another left wing free kick was drilled low by Wroe into the midriff of Bull. Wycombe finished the half the stronger, and could have been 2-1 up. The evergreen Ainsworth (who had earlier cleared Bevans crossbar an inch with an outstanding volley, and was comfortably Wycombes best player) found himself free on the edge of the box, his shot on the run looked (on second viewing thanks to the TV screen in the corner) to be tipped onto the post by Bevan, but the rebound fell kindly but quickly for Betsy around 5 yards out - he couldn't adjust his feet and spooned it badly out for a throw in. And so the half ended 1-1.

Straight after half time, we could easily have gone 2-1 down again when a right wing cross from Ainsworth found Betsy (after some slack marking), but his angled shot was milimetres wide. Straight up the other end, and we go 2-1 up. A corner is half cleared again to Wroe, who takes his man on on the outside down the left. He cuts back inside, beats another man and unleashes a crisp low shot into the far corner. Ecstasy!

Wycombe respond by bringing Rendell and Josh Parker. Rendell played in some strange wide right role where he was ineffective, whilst ex-Triallist Parker..........well, lets just say I can see why Buckle didn't bother persuing him. Wycombe's efforts to chase the game were strange to say the least. Aimless long balls which Branston mopped up easily, or backpasses! Nicky Bull had a strange affinity for playing short balls, and most of the time he chose to play them to Dave Winfield - a centre half with the turning circle of an Ocean liner and distribution that makes Lee Andrews look like Franz Beckenbauer. Most of his long balls found the roof of the stand to our right, those which stayed in only generated 2 moments of panic in the remainder of the game - one cross which Rendell nearly converted but for a block from Branston, and one penalty shout which to be fair looked half decent and worried me when the Ref went for a chat with the lino, only to confirm the goal kick.

Wycombe's messing around at the back and aimless midfield by-passing only resulted in wave after wave of Gulls attack. Nico had a free-kick brilliantly saved by Bull, Zebs clipped the outside of the post with a header (we had to hit the woodwork somehow), Stevens (on for the now quiet Hemmings) underhit a pull-back for the well placed O'Kane, then missed a one-on-one himself, Wroe volleyed over after Nico's drilled cross was beaten out, and Stevens fired wide.

Just as it was looking that Wycombe might mount one last aimless attack, we broke. Someone (O'Kane or Wroe I think, maybe even Zebroski) slipped Benyon in one-on-one in the situation he loves best. His penultimate touch looked poor, and consequentially his shot was weak and shouldn't have had the legs to find the net...................however, the covering defender was the "outstanding" Mr Winfield, who contrived to slip over and allow the ball to trickle in when it looked easier to hack it off the line. Benyon got booked for entering the crowd on celebration - I'm sure he didn't mean too, his balance just tool him over the hoarding - and to be fair it looked like this one meant something to him, scoring against his hometown club.

Although we spend the rest of the game half-heartedly trying to wind the game down in the corners, sometimes we couldn't help it and went for more goals. Half the Wycombe fans wouldn't have seen Nico's couple of corners and Kee nearly getting on the end of one as they'd left. Their fans might as well have not bothered coming, as they were without doubt the quietest bunch I've ever heard (or not heard). Comfortably outsung by a great travelling support tonight.

Some player ratings:

Bevan - 8 - unlucky with the goal, did everything right, distribution spot on today
Mansell - 8 - tricky opponent in Betsy, made one mistake against him that got punished, never made that mistake again
Branston - 9 - won everything. Back to his best
Ellis - 8.5 - most probably the same as Branston, I just noticed Guy heading it more
Nico - 8.5 - another difficult opponent in Ainsworth, did well, great delivery as usual. Is this really the same player we wanted to ship out to the BSP a year ago?
Oastler - 8 - does the dirty stuff quietly and competently. The sort of technically outstanding player you never really notice
Wroe - 10 - passes, tackles, scores. What more do you want from a midfielder?
O'Kane - 8 - not all the flicks came off today, but always has that aura around him that he can make something happen
Hemmings - 7.5 - unplayable first half, disappeared second. Crossing needs work (Stevens - 8 - linked up great with Nico, finishing could have been better)
Zebs - 9 - full of running, terrorised full back, won ample in the air
Benyon - 8.5 - not the usual quota of chances, but did enough when it mattered and worked as hard as ever
(neither Kee or Robbo were on long enough to warrant a rating, but neither did anything wrong!)

It was a great evening of football (from our point of view). Seeing as I don't get to many home games it really makes me wonder how the hell we can't play like that at Plainmoor! I would say that we 100% have to turn our focus away from mid-table consolidation this season, as the squad we have are good enough to go all the way this year. However that will depend on whether we can keep the squad together, something which may change in the next few days/weeks. Until then, I'd say its a good time to be a Torquay fan and we should enjoy it!

Thats enough from me, hopefully that gives you an idea of how the game went and more importantly it ties in with how other attendees saw it!

[Trojan 67]

Thanks Jeff, that was outstanding and well worth waiting up for.

Sleep well everyone, am off to bed now.

[royalgull]

As complete a performance as you will see at this level.

Wycombe have sepent loads assembling that squad, yet i wouldn't have a single one of their players over ours on that performance, we were absolutely miles better than them from the first minute to the last. It was an absolute kick in the particulars when we went 1 down from the first time Wycombe crossed their halfway line. Brilliant equaliser from Wroe, corner put in, half cleared, Wroe on the volley from the edge of the box, top corner thanks very much. For all our dominance we must have had 6 or 7 corners in the first half it was Wycombe who should have gone in 2-1, Ainsworth hit the post with Bevan to beat and Betsy managed to put the rebound with an open goal out for a throw in

We kept the ball for fun, Wycombe resorting to long ball (of which most were skewed out of play or easily mopped up by our backline) It was men against boys.

2nd half Wycombe had obviously had a rocket, they started brighter flashed a couple across the box but we stayed firm. always looked threatening on the break and Wroe scored his 2nd brilliant goal of the night shortly after. Going nowhere he cut back inside away from 3 players and bent a shot hard and low into the corner. Deservedly in front, could we kill it?

The Wycombe surge never came, instead waves after waves of Torquay attacks were wasted. Zebroski somehow missed a free header from two yards out, Nicholson was brilliantly denied by Bull, he put another free kick just wide. Stevens and Benyon both missed one on ones, with Bull saving well, Benyon put another great chance wide, Stevens put a chance similar to Wroe's 2nd chance over, then the 3rd, another quick break away, Benyon in on goal, didn't get great contact on it, Bull half saved but the ball trickled towards the line, Winfield should have cleared but seemed to just slip and the ball brilliantly trickled over the line. Summed that blokes night up, he was absolutely hilariously bad.

I can't praise the team enough after tonight. It's funny not so long ago we were branded and lambasted as a functional hit and hope long ball side but now we are a fluent pacey, classy outfit. We're not the finished article yet but what Buckle has done here is just sensational. To turn us from what we were to what we are in these last 3 and a bit years is just fabulous. We've got young, talented footballers in the side learning their trade alongside one or two expereinced heads it's perfect. If we can get a bit more ruthless up top and kill sides earlier really the sky is the limit this year.

Fabulous performance, 3-1 flattered the home side there was only 1 side on show tonight, that was the Gulls.

Hard to pick individuals out, no one was lower than a 7/10 but it was my first look at Hemmings, i like him. The end product will come in time but he's dangerous for this league, Wroe and O'Kane I felt were simply brilliant tonight. Benyon as ever, not just the goal but his all round game was excellent tonight.

Still buzzing after that, it's hard to beleive that was Torquay I saw tonight knock the ball around for fun and make what is a good side for the league look truly below average. Outstanding.

[Southampton Gull]

Yep, brilliant reporting as usual, Jeff.

I'd echo all of that, think it was Nico that couldn't quite keep that ball out for their goal.

Superb support tonight from us, that must have felt like a home game, or not if you're a regular away fan. Something really must be done to get that kind of support happening at home. Wycombe fans were poor, even worse than Gillingham who did eventually make a noise when they scored, Wycombe fans didn't even sing after they'd got a goal, truly the worst backing for a team I've ever heard (or not)

I noticed Benyon going round to high five all the players before the game kicked off, his celebration of jumping into the crowd earned him a booking but seemingly confirmed what I was told before entering the ground by a very good source, that he will be leaving, maybe as early as tomorrow, my bet is it's to a club that I haven't seen mentioned on here tonight, but I guess we'll know soon enough. I'm also sure the figure being mooted is less than mentioned on here and is the very least I would accept. Don't expect to see us rush out and buy a replacement either, the player expected to fill his role is already with us.

[royalgull]

Also a little chuckle with their excellent goalkeeper tonight Nikki Bull. Some bloke shouted 'keeper, is it always this quiet here?' He smiled and nodded Nice one!

[northharrowgull]

Took my son to this one which was a major gamble as he has never seen the Gulls win! Admittedly we don't get to many matches but Adams Park is only about 50 mins up the M40. So glad we went and at last he has broken the jinx. What a match. On reflection I think the only reason we didnt score more was that we gave them too much respect. They were indeed truly awful and were aptly matched by their mute supporters. In defence, Branston was awesome and really missed nothing. Nicholson was stunning. I lost count of the number of superbly weighted corners and free kicks he took. In midfield Nicky Wroe gave for me the MOM performance and bossed the game from start to end. He was ably supported by Eunan Okane in particular who has a great touch a quick mind-one we need to hang on to.Both wingers were excellent particularly Ashley Hemmings in the first half who was a class act. He did fade in the second half and Paul Buckle was right to sub him with Danny Stevens who added a bit of pace as their defence tired. Overall a fabulous performance. Lets hope we continue our unbeaten run

[CraigUnder]

Yep, brilliant reporting as usual, Jeff.

I'd echo all of that, think it was Nico that couldn't quite keep that ball out for their goal.

Superb support tonight from us, that must have felt like a home game, or not if you're a regular away fan. Something really must be done to get that kind of support happening at home. Wycombe fans were poor, even worse than Gillingham who did eventually make a noise when they scored, Wycombe fans didn't even sing after they'd got a goal, truly the worst backing for a team I've ever heard (or not)

I noticed Benyon going round to high five all the players before the game kicked off, his celebration of jumping into the crowd earned him a booking but seemingly confirmed what I was told before entering the ground by a very good source, that he will be leaving, maybe as early as tomorrow, my bet is it's to a club that I haven't seen mentioned on here tonight, but I guess we'll know soon enough. I'm also sure the figure being mooted is less than mentioned on here and is the very least I would accept. Don't expect to see us rush out and buy a replacement either, the player expected to fill his role is already with us.

and who is it? and what figure sum?

[stratfordgull]

Great performance last night from players and supporters alike (exclude Wycombe in both of those categories)......a cracking and crackling all round team performance with some slick passing moves and a real hunger. As others have said, at 1-0 down it seemed as though we were in control and causing all of the problems.
Will be a great shame if we lose EB - he wasn't given much in the first half, mainly due to the referee who seemed intent on ignoring anything that Benners was subjected to, but when the sniffs came, I thought he did what was needed and even though the finish of the goal was a little mistimed, his movement paved the way to the goal.

Credit to the Wycombe keeper who was clearly playing to the crowd - he's probably not realised that there is a crowd at Adams Park judging by the ROAR (not) of the home fans.

[salmiakki]

A few of the efforts that didn't go in last night; there were more but it was too cold to keep getting my phone out!

[Wisconsin_gull]

Great to see the lads moving the ball so cleanly and keeping the ball....

:ball2: Ole!

:ball1: oLE!
:ball2: oLE! :ball1: oLE!



:ball2: Ole! :ball1: Ole!

[Plymouth Gull]

Was out watching Harry Potter last night, but what a fantastic result! Wish I was there!!

Had a massive on my face all day today

Great reports everyone!

[northharrowgull]

My son took this short clip of nicky wroe's first goal last night. Sorry dont know how to do direct links but if you go to you tube and type in Bongogremlin in the search box it will take you to the clip. Apologies for the quality (of the clip, not the goal!)

[Gulliball]

[Parry]

As has been mentioned several times on this thread already, the support was fantastic on the radio last night. If only our home support could be half as good as that.

[Awayday]

As has been mentioned several times on this thread already, the support was fantastic on the radio last night. If only our home support could be half as good as that.

Move the home fans to the away end and you will be pleasantly suprised