Wycombe Wanderers travel to Gigg Lane on Saturday to take on Bury in their 28th League game of the season, looking to improve on a dismal run of form having won just the solitary game in their last fifteen attempts.
Gareth Ainsworth bemoaned his side’s ill fortune on Tuesday night against Portsmouth but they will need to display a calmer and more streetwise attitude than the second half where a panicky display saw balls fruitlessly launched into the visitors’ penalty area with no reward.
This was after former Bury keeper Trevor Carson had kept the Blues at bay in the opening period, twice denying Matt McClure and saving superbly from home debutant Reece Styche, who made a positive impression in a rare bright spot.
Portsmouth only had one shot on target in the entire game, but after Gary Doherty was harshly penalised for upending Wes Fogden, Ryan Taylor made them pay from the penalty spot as the visitors banked a crucial three points.
It is now all about results from here on in, and Ainsworth will surely take comfort from the fact that Gigg Lane is one of Wycombe’s happy hunting grounds.
Ainsworth scored the first of three goals as the Chairboys ran out 3-1 winners in 2011, setting themselves up for a marvellous promotion under Gary Waddock.
The next visit went just as well, as a Stuart Beavon hat trick alongside a Paul Hayes goal saw the Blues earn a 4-1 win, even if it wasn`t to prove enough to halt a second relegation in three seasons as the Wanderers fell back into the fourth division.
If the Chairboys’ manager is now coming under pressure, the next two fixtures will surely be pivotal as the Wanderers make the journey to 22nd placed Bury before hosting fellow strugglers Accrington Stanley the following week.
Saturday’s game represents the opportunity for Wycombe to open up a four point buffer between themselves and the Shakers, but if things go wrong, they could end up with the same amount of points as 23rd placed Torquay United.
The Chairboys might line up something like this:
——————————-Matt Ingram————————————
Marvin McCoy—-Anthony Stewart——Leon Johnson—–Jordan Mustoe
Matt Bloomfield—-Stuart Lewis——-Josh Scowen————Sam Wood
————–Reece Styche—————-Matt McClure——————–
The Shakers haven’t played since they drew 0-0 with Burton Albion at Gigg Lane on 18th January, and David Flitcroft may choose a starting line up something like this:
——————————Brian Jensen————————————–
Pablo Mills——-James McNulty——Nathan Cameron—— Frederic Veseli
Ashley Grimes—–Andrew Tutte——Craig Jones———–Chris Sedgwick
—————-Anton Forrester ————Danny Nardiello——————
Here are all the stats…
League positions & comparison with last season
Wycombe (4 points worse off)
After 27 games this season the Chairboys are 21st with 29 points
After 27 games last season they were 17th with 33 points
Bury (7 points better off – 1 division lower)
After 26 games this season Bury are 22nd in Lg2 with 28 points
After 26 games last season they were 22nd in Lg1 with 21 points
Wycombe Away Record…W 4 – D 5 – L 4 – Pts 17…Ppg 1.31 (Rank-9)
Bury Home Record………..W 4 – D 7 – L 3 – Pts 19…Ppg 1.36 (Rank-15)
Wycombe’s last five games (All Competitions)
Lg2: Wimbledon (H)……….Lost 0-3
Lg2: Morecambe (A)……..Drew 1-1
Lg2: Oxford (H)…………….Lost 0-1
Lg2: Mansfield (A)………..Drew 2-2
Lg2: Portsmouth (H)……….Lost 0-1
Bury’s last five games (All Competitions)
Lg2: Scunthorpe (H)………Drew 2-2
Lg2: York City (H)………….Won 2-1
Lg2: Hartlepool (A)…………Won 3-0
Lg2: Chesterfield (A)……….Lost 0-4
Lg2: Burton (H)…………….Drew 0-0
Wycombe Goal Stats (34 games in all Competitions)
Goals Scored (Total)……….Lg: 32…Cups: 9…Total: 41
Goals Conceded (Total)……Lg: 37…Cups: 7…Total: 44
Goals Scored (Away)………Lg: 20…Cups: 5…Total: 25
Goals Conceded (Away)…..Lg: 18…Cups: 2…Total: 20
Clean Sheets…………………Lg: 3…..Cups: 2…Total: 5
Failed to Score……………….Lg: 8…..Cups: 1…Total: 9
Bury Goal Stats (30 games in all Competitions)
Goals Scored (Total)……….Lg: 30…Cups: 7…..Total: 37
Goals Conceded (Total)……Lg: 34…Cups: 10…Total: 44
Goals Scored (Home)………Lg: 16…Cups: 3…..Total: 19
Goals Conceded (Home)…..Lg: 14…Cups: 2…..Total: 16
Clean Sheets…………………Lg: 6…..Cups: 1…..Total: 7
Failed to Score……………….Lg: 8…..Cups: 1…..Total: 9
Wycombe Goal Scorers – (All Competitions)
Matt McClure………….Lg: 4 – Cups: 2 – Total: 6
Dean Morgan…………Lg: 6 – Cups: 0 – Total: 6
Paris Cowan-Hall…….Lg: 4 – Cups: 1 – Total: 5
Jo Kuffour……………..Lg: 3 – Cups: 1 – Total: 4
Anthony Stewart……..Lg: 3 – Cups: 1 – Total: 4
Steven Craig………….Lg: 2 – Cups: 1 – Total: 3
Max Kretzschmar…….Lg: 3 – Cups: 0 – Total: 3
Billy Knott……………..Lg: 1 – Cups: 1 – Total: 2
Stuart Lewis…………..Lg: 2 – Cups: 0 – Total: 2
Matt Bloomfield………Lg: 0 – Cups: 1 – Total: 1
Gary Doherty…………Lg: 0 – Cups: 1 – Total: 1
Kortney Hause……….Lg: 1 – Cups: 0 – Total: 1
Leon Johnson…………Lg: 1 – Cups: 0 – Total: 1
Josh Scowen………….Lg: 1 – Cups: 0 – Total: 1
Sam Wood…………….Lg: 1 – Cups: 0 – Total: 1
Bury’s top Goal Scorers – (All Competitions)
Anton Forrester………6
Daniel Nardiello………5
Nathan Cameron…….4
William Edjenguele….3
Chris Sedgwick………3
Tom Soares…………..3
Shaun Harrad…………2
Danny Hylton…………2
Richard Hinds…………2
Danny Mayor………….2
Jessy Reindorf………..2
Three other players have each scored one goal.
Wycombe Shooting (Top-3) – (All Competitions)
Dean Morgan……..12 on-target…18 off-target…1 against woodwork
Matt McClure……..11 on-target…17 off-target…0 against woodwork
Billy Knott…………..9 on-target…17 off-target…0 against woodwork
Bury Shooting (Top-3) – (All Competitions)
Tom Soares……….11 on-target…25 off-target…0 against woodwork
Anton Forrester…..11 on-target…16 off-target…1 against woodwork
Danny Mayor……….7 on-target…17 off-target…1 against woodwork
Shooting (Club) – (League only)
Wycombe….101 on target…126 off target…3 against w’work (Rank-23)
Bury………….98 on target…147 off target…4 against w’work (Rank-18)
Discipline – (All Competitions)
Wycombe……8 Red Cards – 69 Yellow Cards (1 red card rescinded)
Bury………….2 Red Cards – 47 Yellow Cards
League Form Guide
All Season
Wycombe…..Pld: 27…W: 7…D: 8….L: 12…Pts: 29…Pts per game: 1.07
Bury…………Pld: 26…W: 6…D: 10…L: 10…Pts: 28…Pts per game: 1.08
Last Five league Games
Wycombe………LDLDL – 2 points (Rank-24)
Bury…………..DWWLD – 8 points (Rank-8)
Last Five League Games (Away)
Wycombe…….LDWDD – 6 points (Rank-9)
Last Five League Games (Home)
Bury…………..WDDWD – 9 points (Rank-9)
Against Top Half Opposition
Wycombe……Pld: 14…Pts: 12…Pts per game: 0.86…(Rank-21)
Bury………….Pld: 14…Pts: 6…..Pts per game: 0.43…(Rank-24)
Against Bottom Half Opposition
Wycombe……Pld: 13…Pts: 17…Pts per game: 1.31…(Rank-16)
Bury………….Pld: 12…Pts: 22…Pts per game: 1.83…(Rank-8)
First Half v Second Half – Performance Comparison
First-Half
Wycombe….W: 9…D: 11…L: 7…..Gf:13…Ga:12…Ppg: 1.41 (Rank-9)
Bury………..W: 7…D: 9…..L: 10…Gf:17…Ga:15…Ppg: 1.15 (Rank-15)
Second-Half
Wycombe….W: 6…D: 9….L: 12…Gf:19…Ga:25…Ppg: 1.00 (Rank-22)
Bury………..W: 7…D: 11…L: 8….Gf:13…Ga:19…Ppg: 1.23 (Rank-14)
Previous Meetings
In 25 previous meetings there have been 12 wins for Wycombe, 8 for Bury and 5 draws.
At Gigg Lane the tally is 4 wins for the Blues, 3 for the Shakers and 5 draws.
1993/94 LG2: Bury 1 Wycombe 2
1996/97 LG1: Bury 2 Wycombe 0
1999/00 LG1: Bury 2 Wycombe 0
2000/01 LG1: Bury 1 Wycombe 1
2001/02 LG1: Bury 1 Wycombe 1
2004/05 LG2: Bury 2 Wycombe 2
2005/06 LG2: Bury 2 Wycombe 1
2006/07 LG2: Bury 0 Wycombe 4
2007/08 LG2: Bury 2 Wycombe 2
2008/09 LG2: Bury 0 Wycombe 0
2010/11 LG2: Bury 1 Wycombe 3
2010/11 LG1: Bury 1 Wycombe 4
The Man In The Middle
Saturday’s referee is the experienced Rob Lewis from Shropshire. His last Wycombe game was a 3-2 win at Rotherham United in November 2012. So far this season he’s issued 4 red and 59 yellow cards in 15 games.
Prediction
Bury 1 Wycombe 3
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