Wycombe Wanderers entertain Accrington Stanley on Saturday in their 45th and penultimate league game of the season.
The Chairboys were beaten 2-1 by Portsmouth at Fratton Park on Saturday finally ending any hope of a place in the play-offs.
Gareth Ainsworth’s side went into the game on the back of a goalless draw at home to Yeovil Town in midweek.
Without a win in their last six games, it’s been another disappointing end to the season for Wanderers who led the league after 10 games and were 4th in the table as recently as mid-February.
So what’s left to play for…
Well, Wycombe’s worst ever goal tally since joining the football league in 1993 is 46 (an abysmal average of exactly one goal per game).
It’s an inauspicious total that has been recorded twice, firstly in 2000/01 and again in 2013/14 when the Chairboys avoided relegation to the Conference on the final day of the season at Torquay.
So with only 45 league goals to their name so far this season, the current crop have two games left to avoid creating a new all-time-low.
On the other side of the coin, the best ever defensive record since joining the football league is the 33 goals conceded by Peter Taylor’s Wycombe in the promotion winning campaign of 2008/09.
This season’s total of 40 goals conceded is the second best on record, and will remain so unless Wanderers concede enough goals in their final two games to surpass the 42 conceded by Paul Lambert’s outfit in 2007/08.
At least our strengths and weaknesses are glaringly obvious.
There’s also the tantalising prospect of affecting an automatic promotion race that involves Saturday’s visitors Stanley along with three of our least favourite opponents, Oxford, Bristol Rovers and Plymouth.
Ainsworth made two changes to his starting line-up last time out with midfielder Danny Rowe starring in his first start since December having recovered from a hamstring injury suffered when he was farmed out on loan
Striker Gozie Ugwu was also handed a recall to the side with midfielder Stephen McGinn and forward Garry Thompson both dropping to the bench.
Defender Joe Jacobson made a welcome return to the bench after recovering from a fortnight out with a back injury.
Rowe will be assessed ahead of this weekend’s clash with the Reds after damaging his wrist at Fratton Park.
Midfielders Matt Bloomfield (broken arm) and Sam Wood (knee) remain sidelined whilst midfielder Luke O’Nien could miss the rest of the season with a knee injury.
Accrington Stanley claimed all three points with a comfortable 3-0 win over relegated York City at the Crown Ground last weekend.
The Reds will be delighted with another fine display having gone into the game on the back of a 2-1 win away at Hartlepool United in midweek.
Stanley are now unbeaten in their last ten league matches, winning seven and drawing three and they sit proudly in second place in the League Two table.
A third straight league win when they travel to Adams Park to face Wanderers on Saturday could seal automatic promotion to League One.
Manager John Coleman named a completely unchanged starting line-up last time out with defender Adam Buxton and loan winger Tariqe Fosu-Henry both keeping their places the side. Midfielder Sean McConville had to settle for a place on the bench again.
Coleman has no new injury concerns ahead of this weekend’s huge clash with the Chairboys and is boosted by the return of loan defender Joe Wright, who is fit and available after recovering from two months out with a knee injury.
Midfielder Scott Brown has missed the last fortnight with a hamstring strain but returns to training this week and will be back in contention. Midfielder Matt Crooks remains sidelined with an ankle ligament injury otherwise Coleman will have a fully-fit squad to choose from and is unlikely to make any changes.
Here are some stats…
Stanley Away Record……….W 12…D 4 – L 6…Pts 40…Ppg 1.82 (Rank-4)
Wycombe Home Record…..W 9…..D 6 – L 7…Pts 33…Ppg 1.50 (Rank-12)
League positions & comparison with last season
Accrington (28 points better off)
After 42 games this season Stanley are 2nd with 81 points
After 44 games last season they were 17th with 53 pts
Wycombe (17 points worse off)
After 44 games this season the Chairboys are 9th with 64 points
After 44 games last season they were 3rd with 81 points
Accrington’s last five games (All Competitions)
Lg2: Cambridge (H)…………Drew 1-1
Lg2: Luton (A)………………….Won 2-0
Lg2: Morecambe (H)……….Drew 2-2
Lg2: Hartlepool (A)…………..Won 2-1
Lg2: York City (H)…………….Won 3-0
Wycombe’s last five games (All Competitions)
Lg2: Wimbledon (H)…………Lost 1-2
Lg2: York City (A)……………Drew 1-1
Lg2: Barnet (H)……………….Drew 1-1
Lg2: Yeovil (H)………………..Drew 0-0
Lg2: Portsmouth (A)…………Lost 1-2
Accrington Goal Scorers – (All Competitions)
Kee…………………….17 (inc 2 pens)
Windass……………..16 (inc 7 pens)
Crooks……………….8
McCartan……………7
McConville………….6
Gornell……………….4
Brown………………..3
Conneely…………….3
Fosu-Henry…………3
Mingoia………………3
Pearson………………3
Boco…………………..2
Bruna…………………1
Buxton……………….1
Davies………………..1
Own Goal……………1
Wycombe Goal Scorers – (All Competitions)
Michael Harriman…………….8
Garry Thompson………………8 (inc 1 pen)
Paul Hayes……………………….5
Luke O’Nien……………………..5
Aaron Amadi-Holloway…….4
Max Kretzschmar……………..3
Joe Jacobson…………………….2 (inc 1 pen)
Sido Jombati…………………….2
Jason McCarthy………………..2
Aaron Pierre…………………….2
Gozie Ugwu……………………..2
Sam Wood……………………….2
Jason Banton……………………1
Matt Bloomfield……………….1
Paris Cowan-Hall………………1
Stephen McGinn………………1
Danny Rowe…………………….1
Anthony Stewart………………1
Own Goals………………………1
Wycombe Assists – (All Competitions)
Michael Harriman……………7
Joe Jacobson……………………7
Aaron Pierre……………………4
Garry Thompson…………….4
Paul Hayes………………………3
Luke O’Nien…………………….3
Matt Bloomfield………………2
Sam Wood………………………2
Aaron Amadi-Holloway……1
Danny Rowe……………………1
Anthony Stewart……………..1
Gozie Ugwu…………………….1
Accrington Goal Stats (48 games in all Competitions)
Goals Scored (Total)………..Lg: 73…Cups: 6…Total: 79
Goals Conceded (Total)……Lg: 48…Cups: 7…Total: 55
Goals Scored (Away)……….Lg: 30…Cups: 0…Total: 30
Goals Conceded (Away)…..Lg: 18…Cups: 1…Total: 19
Clean Sheets……………………Lg: 12…Cups: 0…Total: 12
Failed to Score…………………Lg: 7…..Cups: 1…Total: 8
Wycombe Goal Stats (50 games in all Competitions)
Goals Scored (Total)………….Lg: 45…Cups: 7…Total: 52
Goals Conceded (Total)……..Lg: 40…Cups: 7…Total: 47
Goals Scored (Home)…………Lg: 25…Cups: 1…Total: 26
Goals Conceded (Home)…….Lg: 23…Cups: 2…Total: 25
Clean Sheets……………………..Lg: 17…Cups: 1…Total: 18
Failed to Score…………………..Lg: 12…Cups: 3…Total: 15
Wycombe – miscellaneous stats
Shots on-target (for)………….Lg: 152…Cups: 21…Total: 173
Shots on-target (against)…..Lg: 166…Cups: 29…Total: 195
Shots off-target (for)………….Lg: 268…Cups: 52…Total: 320
Shots off-target (against)…..Lg: 233…Cups: 48…Total: 281
Corners (for)……………………..Lg: 237…Cups: 23…Total: 260
Corners (against)……………….Lg: 237…Cups: 27…Total: 264
Average possession (for)………….Lg: 48.96%…Cups: 43.7%
Average possession (against)……Lg: 50.04%…Cups: 56.3%
Discipline – (All Competitions)
Stanley………….5 Red Cards – 79 Yellow Cards
Wycombe……..3 Red Cards – 73 Yellow Cards
Michael Harriman………….8 yellow
Luke O’Nien…………………..8 yellow
Marcus Bean…………………7 yellow – 1 Red
Sido Jombati………………….7 yellow
Aaron Pierre………………….7 yellow
Joe Jacobson………………….5 yellow
Anthony Stewart……………5 yellow
Paul Hayes…………………….4 yellow
Garry Thompson……………4 yellow – 1 Red
Matt Bloomfield…………….3 yellow
Jason McCarthy……………..3 yellow
Aaron Amadi-Holloway…..2 yellow
Matt Ingram…………………..2 yellow – 1 Red
Stephen McGinn……………2 yellow
Gozie Ugwu…………………..2 yellow
Jason Banton…………………1 yellow
Paris Cowan-Hall…………..1 yellow
Danny Rowe………………….1 yellow
Sam Wood……………………1 yellow
League Form Guide
All Season
Stanley……….Pld: 44…W: 23…D: 12…L: 9…..Pts: 81…Pts per game: 1.84
Wycombe……Pld: 44…W: 17…D: 13…L: 14…Pts: 64…Pts per game: 1.45
First-third of the season (games 1-15)
Stanley……….Pld: 15…W: 7…D: 4…L: 4…Pts: 25…Ppg: 1.67 (Rank-8)
Wycombe……Pld: 15…W: 7…D: 4…L: 4…Pts: 25…Ppg: 1.67 (Rank-7)
Second-third of the season (games 16-30)
Stanley……….Pld: 15…W: 9…D: 3…L: 3…Pts: 30…Ppg: 2.00 (Rank-2)
Wycombe……Pld: 15…W: 7…D: 3…L: 5…Pts: 24…Ppg: 1.60 (Rank-8)
Final-third of the season (game 31 onwards)
Stanley………..Pld: 14…W: 7…D: 5…L: 2…Pts: 26…Ppg: 1.86 (Rank-3)
Wycombe…….Pld: 14…W: 3…D: 6…L: 5…Pts: 15…Ppg: 1.07 (Rank-18)
Last Five league Games
Stanley………DWDWW – 11 points (Rank-3)
Wycombe……….LDDDL – 3 points (Rank-19)
Last Five League Games (Away)
Stanley………DWWWW – 13 points (Rank-1)
Last Five League Games (Home)
Wycombe……..WWLDD – 8 points (Rank-9)
Against Top-Third Opposition
Stanley………..Pld: 14…Pts: 19…Pts per game: 1.36 (Rank-4)
Wycombe…….Pld: 14…Pts: 15…Pts per game: 1.07 (Rank-9)
Against Middle-Third Opposition
Stanley…………Pld: 15…Pts: 31…Pts per game: 2.07 (Rank-5)
Wycombe……..Pld: 14…Pts: 25…Pts per game: 1.79 (Rank-6)
Against Bottom-Third Opposition
Stanley…………Pld: 15…Pts: 31…Pts per game: 2.07 (Rank-8)
Wycombe……..Pld: 16…Pts: 24…Pts per game: 1.50 (Rank-19)
First 45 mins v Second 45 mins – Performance Comparison
First 45 mins
Wycombe…….W: 7….D: 26…L: 11…Gf:14…Ga:17…Ppg: 1.07
Second 45 mins
Wycombe…….W: 18…D: 18…L: 8….Gf:31…Ga:23…Ppg: 1.64
Accrington’s league record last season
Home….W:10…D:6…..L:7…..GF:33 – GA:32 – Pts:36
Away…..W:5…..D:5…..L:13…GF:25 – GA:45 – Pts:20
Total……W:15…D:11…L:20…GF:58 – GA:77 – Pts:56
Final position: 17th in League Two
Wycombe’s League record last season
Home…..W:10…D:7….L:6…GF:30 – GA:25 – Pts:37
Away…..W:13….D:8….L:2…GF:37 – GA:20 – Pts:47
Total……W:23…D:15…L:8…GF:67 – GA:45 – Pts:84
Final position: 4th in League Two
Previous Meetings
n 15 previous meetings there have been 4 wins for Wycombe, 4 for Accrington and 7 draws.
At Adams Park the tally is 3 wins for Stanley, 1 for the Chairboys and 3 draws.
2006/07 LG2: Accrington 2 Wycombe 1
2006/07 LG2: Wycombe 1 Accrington 1
2007/08 LG2: Wycombe 0 Accrington 1
2007/08 LG2: Accrington 0 Wycombe 2
2008/09 LG2: Accrington 0 Wycombe 1
2008/09 LG2: Wycombe 2 Accrington 1
2010/11 LG2: Accrington 1 Wycombe 1
2010/11 LG2: Wycombe 1 Accrington 2
2012/13 LG2: Accrington 0 Wycombe 2
2012/13 LG2: Wycombe 0 Accrington 1
2013/14 LG2: Accrington 1 Wycombe 1
2013/14 LG2: Wycombe 0 Accrington 0
2014/15 LG2: Accrington 1 Wycombe 1
2014/15 LG2: Wycombe 2 Accrington 2
2015/16 LG2: Accrington 1 Wycombe 1
The Man In The Middle
Saturday’s referee is Michael Bull from Essex who was promoted to the National List of Referees in 2013.
His last Wycombe game was a 2-1 defeat at home to Newport County in February 2015.
During the current campaign he’s issued 8 red and 72 yellow cards in 22 outings.
Prediction
Wycombe 1 Accrington 2
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