Wycombe Wanderers travel to Crawley Town on Saturday for their 36th league game of the season.
The Chairboys were beaten 1-0 by Coventry City at Adams Park on Tuesday evening.
It was a second home defeat in four days for Gareth Ainsworth’s side who suffered a 4-2 setback at the hands of Morecambe on Saturday.
The consecutive defeats brought to an end an impressive run of seven wins and a draw for Wanderers who were previously unbeaten in 2018.
It was a fine run that took the Chairboys from play-off hopefuls to second-favourites for automatic promotion with the bookmakers.
Expectations were duly raised, but a setback was inevitable. Now they’ve had two in quick succession, and much will depend upon how quickly they can rediscover their composure and return to winning ways.
Wanderers remain in third place with 62 points, 12 points more than they had at the same stage last season.
Ainsworth made three changes to his starting line-up against the Sky Blues.
Dan Scarr, Marcus Bean and Nathan Tyson were all handed recalls to the side.
They were preferred to Matt Bloomfield and Craig Mackail-Smith who both dropped to the bench, while loanee Nathan McGinley was missing from the squad altogether.
Sido Jombati made a welcome return to the bench after two months out with a knee injury.
Ainsworth could name only six substitutes again, and as usual there’s no news on the status of Scott Kashket (thigh), Sam Saunders (knee), Randell Williams (unspecified), Anthony Stewart (calf) and Michael Harriman (broken leg).
Crawley Town crashed to a 2-0 defeat at Forest Green Rovers on Saturday.
It was a real blow to the Red Devils’ hopes of snatching a play-off place after they went inro the game on the back of an impressive 3-1 home win over play-off rivals Lincoln City.
Harry Kewell’s side have won 8 and lost 3 of their last 11 league matches and are currently 6 points adrift of the play-offs.
Kewell made just the one change to his starting line-up against Forest Green.
Jordan Roberts returned after a hamstring problem, and he replaced the injured Thomas Verheydt.
Moussa Sanoh was handed a recall to the bench but there was no place again for Dean Cox or Panutche Camara.
Kewell has no new injury concerns ahead of this weekend’s clash with the Chairboys.
Verheydt will be assessed after missing out with a knee injury at the weekend.
Aliu ‘Kaby’ Djalo and Billy Clifford remain sidelined after missing the whole of February with calf and ankle injuries respectively.
Here are some stats…
Crawley Home Record……..W 8 – D 2 – L 7 – Pts 26 – Ppg 1.53 (Rank-14)
Wycombe Away Record……W 8 – D 5 – L 4 – Pts 29 – Ppg 1.71 (Rank-2)
League positions & comparison with last season
Crawley (8 points better off)
After 35 games this season the Reds are 11th with 51 points
After 35 games last season they were 16th with 43 points
Wycombe (12 points better off)
After 35 games this season the Chairboys are 3rd with 62 points
After 35 games last season they were 10th with 50 points
Crawley’s last five games (All Competitions)
Lg2: Chesterfield (A)………….Won 2-1
Lg2: Grimsby (H)……………….Won 3-0
Lg2: Luton (A)……………………Lost 1-4
Lg2: Lincoln (H)…………………Won 3-1
Lg2: Forest Green (A)…………Lost 0-2
Wycombe’s last five games (All Competitions)
Lg2: Exeter (A)…………………Drew 1-1
Lg2: Swindon (H)………………Won 3-2
Lg2: Cheltenham (A)…………Won 2-0
Lg2: Morecambe (H)………….Lost 2-4
Lg2: Coventry (H)……………….Lost 0-1
Crawley Goal Scorers – (All Competitions)
Boldewijn…………………9
Smith……………………….8 (inc 1 pen)
Roberts…………………….7
Ahearne-Grant………….3
Payne……………………….3 (inc 3 pens)
Meite………………………..3
Connolly…………………..2
Verheydt…………………..2
Camara…………………….1
McNerney…………………1
Randall……………………..1
Sanoh……………………….1
Young……………………….1
Own Goals………………..3
Wycombe Goal Scorers – (All Competitions)
Adebayo Akinfenwa………..16
Craig Mackail-Smith………..10
Paris Cowan-Hall…………….8
Luke O’Nien……………………8
Nathan Tyson…………………6
Eberechi Eze…………………..5
Joe Jacobson…………………..5 (inc 3 pens)
Nick Freeman…………………4
Marcus Bean…………………..2
Matt Bloomfield………………2
Sam Saunders…………………2
Josh Umerah…………………..2
Will De Havilland…………….1
Michael Harriman…………..1
Sido Jombati……………………1
Dan Scarr………………………..1
Dayle Southwell………………1
Anthony Stewart……………..1
Wycombe Assists – (All Competitions)
Adebayo Akinfenwa………..14
Craig Mackail-Smith………..7
Paris Cowan-Hall…………….4
Joe Jacobson…………………..4
Nathan Tyson…………………4
Nick Freeman………………….3
Dominic Gape…………………3
Michael Harriman…………..3
Sam Saunders…………………3
Matt Bloomfield………………2
Eberechi Eze……………………2
Luke O’Nien…………………….2
Dan Scarr………………………..2
Marcus Bean…………………..1
Sido Jombati……………………1
Nathan McGinley…………….1
Jack Williams……………………1
Crawley Goal Stats (40 games in all Competitions)
Goals Scored (Total)………..Lg: 41…Cups: 4…..Total: 45
Goals Conceded (Total)……Lg: 43…Cups: 15…Total: 58
Goals Scored (Home)………Lg: 21…Cups: 1…..Total: 22
Goals Conceded (Home)….Lg: 16…Cups: 5…..Total: 21
Clean Sheets……………………Lg: 10…Cups: 0…..Total: 10
Failed to Score…………………Lg: 12…Cups: 1…..Total: 13
Wycombe Goal Stats (42 games in all Competitions)
Goals Scored (Total)………..Lg: 67…Cups: 9…..Total: 76
Goals Conceded (Total)……Lg: 51…Cups: 14…Total: 65
Goals Scored (Away)………..Lg: 28…Cups: 2…..Total: 30
Goals Conceded (Away)……Lg: 22…Cups: 1…..Total: 23
Clean Sheets……………………Lg: 8…..Cups: 2…..Total: 10
Failed to Score…………………Lg: 7…..Cups: 2…..Total: 9
Wycombe – miscellaneous stats
Shots on-target (for)………….Lg: 199…Cups: 40…Total: 239
Shots on-target (against)……Lg: 138…Cups: 34…Total: 172
Shots off-target (for)………….Lg: 279…Cups: 53…Total: 332
Shots off-target (against)……Lg: 206…Cups: 40…Total: 246
Corners (for)………………………Lg: 193…Cups: 45…Total: 238
Corners (against)………………..Lg: 164…Cups: 34…Total: 198
Ave possession (for)……………Lg: 51.34%…..Cups: 50.14%
Ave possession (against)……..Lg: 48.66%…..Cups: 49.86%
Shooting comparison (league only)
Wycombe……..shots on target – 199 (per game: 5.69) – (Rank-1)
Crawley………..shots on target – 145 (per game: 4.14) – (Rank-15)
League Form Guide
All Season
Crawley……….Pld: 35…W: 15…D: 6…L: 14…Pts: 51…Pts per game: 1.46
Wycombe……..Pld: 35…W: 18…D: 8…L: 9…..Pts: 62…Pts per game: 1.77
Last Five league Games
Crawley…………..WWLWL – 9 points (Rank-6)
Wycombe…………DWWLL – 7 points (Rank-11)
Last Five League Games (Home)
Crawley……….WWWWW – 15 points (Rank-2)
Last Five League Games (Away)
Wycombe……..WWWDW – 13 points (Rank-1)
First 45 mins v Second 45 mins – Performance Comparison
First 45 mins
Wycombe…….W: 15…D: 11…L: 9…..Gf: 32…Ga: 21…Pph: 1.60
Second 45 mins
Wycombe…….W: 13…D: 12…L: 10…Gf: 35…Ga: 30…Pph: 1.46
Discipline *
Crawley……….4 Red Cards…80 Yellow Cards
Wycombe…….1 Red Card…..68 Yellow Cards
Marcus Bean………………9 yellow (inc 1 Checkatrade)
Joe Jacobson………………8 yellow
Luke O’Nien……………….6 yellow – 1 red
Paris Cowan-Hall………..5 yellow (inc 1 Checkatrade)
Adam El Abd………………5 yellow
Sam Saunders……………5 yellow
Matt Bloomfield…………4 yellow
Scott Brown……………….4 yellow
Adebayo Akinfenwa……3 yellow
Dominic Gape…………….3 yellow
Craig Mackail-Smith……3 yellow
Dan Scarr…………………..3 yellow (inc 1 Checkatrade)
Anthony Stewart………..3 yellow
Sido Jombati………………2 yellows
Dayle Southwell…………2 yellow
Nathan Tyson…………….2 yellow
Will de Havilland……….1 yellow
From FA website *
Previous Meetings
In 6 previous meetings there have been 3 wins for Wycombe, 2 for Crawley and 1 draw.
In Crawley, the tally is 1 win for the Chairboys, 1 for the Reds and 1 draws.
1985/86 FAT: Crawley 0 Wycombe 2
2015/16 LG2: Crawley 0 Wycombe 0
2015/16 LG2: Wycombe 2 Crawley 0
2016/17 LG2: Crawley 1 Wycombe 0
2016/17 LG2: Wycombe 1 Crawley 2
2017/18 LG2: Wycombe 4 Crawley 0
Boss v Boss
In their managerial careers, Gareth Ainsworth and Harry Kewell have clashed only once.
The current tally is 1 win for Ainsworth.
Crawley’s record last season
Home….W:8…..D:7…..L:8…..GF:29 – GA:30 – Pts:31
Away…..W:5…..D:5…..L:13…GF:24 – GA:41 – Pts:20
Total……W:13…D:12…L:21…GF:53 – GA:71 – Pts:51
Final position: 19th in League Two
Wycombe’s record last season
Home…W:11…D:6….L:6…..GF:29 – GA:21 – Pts:39
Away….W:8…..D:6….L:9…..GF:29 – GA:32 – Pts:30
Total….W:19…D:12…L:15 – GF:58 – GA:53 – Pts:69
Final position: 9th in League Two
The Man In The Middle
Saturday’s referee is Graham Horwood from Bedfordshire who was promoted to the National List of Referees in 2013.
Earlier this season he refereed Wycombe’s 2-2 draw at home to Lincoln City.
During the current campaign he`s issued 1 red and 59 yellow cards in 18 appearances.
Prediction
Crawley 1 Wycombe 1
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