Wycombe Wanderers entertain Newport County on Boxing Day in their 24th league game of the season.
The Chairboys crashed to a 3-2 defeat against play-off rivals Coventry City at the Ricoh Arena on Friday.
Wanderers have now reached the half way mark with 37 points, one less than the 38 they had at the same stage last season.
For further context, here’s a list of Wanderers’ points at the half-way mark in every season under manager Gareth Ainsworth…
2012/13 – 26 points
2013/14 – 27 points
2014/15 – 44 points
2015/16 – 40 points
2016/17 – 38 points
2017/18 – 37 points
Having now played every other team in the division, Wanderers lie 5th in the table with 10 wins, 7 draws and 6 defeats.
With no wins against any of the other top-seven sides, automatic promotion is likely to require an improvement, but the Chairboys certainly look firm contenders for a place in the play-offs.
Friday’s defeat was a sixth consecutive away game without a win, but Wanderers are on a great run of form at Adams Park and are aiming for a sixth consecutive home win in all competitions on Tuesday.
Ainsworth made two changes to his starting line-up against Coventry.
Dan Scarr replaced the injured Adam El-Abd, while Matt Bloomfield was a surprise replacement for Eberechi Eze who dropped to the bench.
Will de Havilland was recalled to the squad but there was no sign of either Marcus Bean or Scott Kashket.
First-choice central defensive pairing Anthony Stewart and Adam El-Abd are both likely to be missing on Boxing Day after Stewart was forced off with a calf injury against the Sky Blues.
Kashket was reportedly back in full training a few weeks ago, and Wycombe fans eagerly await his first appearance of the season.
Loanee Josh Umerah remains sidelined following ankle surgery, while Michael Harriman continues his rehabilitation after breaking a leg almost three months ago.
Newport County claimed a share of the spoils after holding Lincoln City to a goal-less draw with only ten-men at Rodney Parade on Saturday.
The Exiles are now unbeaten in their last four league matches and are just two points adrift of the play-off places.
County have won 9, drawn 8 and lost 6 of their 23 league matches to lie 11th in the table with 35 points, a whopping 18 points more than they had at the same stage last season.
Manager Michael Flynn named a completely unchanged starting line-up against the Imps.
David Pipe and Mark O’Brien both recovered from calf strains to keep their places in the side, while teenager Momodou Touray was recalled to the bench in place of Robbie Willmott who missed out through injury.
Ben Tozer is a major doubt for the Boxing Day trip to Adams Park after being forced off with a suspected hamstring injury.
Willmott will hope to return, but Mark O’Brien will serve the first of a three-match ban following his red card at the weekend.
Calaumn Jahraldo-Martin and Marlon Jackson both remain sidelined with long-term hamstring injuries.
Former Wycombe skipper Paul Hayes’ registration has been delayed until January due to ‘unforeseen challenges’ with the regulations.
Here are some stats…
Newport Away Record………W 5 – D 3 – L 4 – Pts 18 – Ppg 1.50 (Rank-6)
Wycombe Home Record……W 6 – D 3 – L 2 – Pts 21 – Ppg 1.91 (Rank-6)
League positions & comparison with last season
Newport (18 points better off)
After 23 games this season the Exiles are 11th with 35 points
After 23 games last season they were 24th with 17 points
Wycombe (1 point worse off)
After 23 games this season the Chairboys are 5th with 37 points
After 23 games last season they were 6th with 38 points
Newport’s last five games (All Competitions)
Lg2: Swindon (A)……………….Won 1-0
FAC: Cambridge (H)…………..Won 2-0
Lg2: Carlisle (H)………………..Drew 3-3
Lg2: Cambridge (A)……………Won 2-1
Lg2: Lincoln (H)………………..Drew 0-0
Wycombe’s last five games (All Competitions)
FLT: West Ham U21 (H)…….Won 2-0
FAC: Leatherhead (H)……….Won 3-1
Lg2: Stevenage (A)…………..Drew 0-0
Lg2: Chesterfield (H)…………Won 1-0
Lg2: Coventry (A)………………Lost 2-3
Newport Goal Scorers – (All Competitions)
McCoulsky…………10
Nouble……………….7
Amond……………….6
Labadie………………6
Demetriou………….3
Dolan…………………3
Bennett………………2
Cole……………………1
Reynolds…………….1
Tozer………………….1
White………………….1
Wycombe Goal Scorers – (All Competitions)
Adebayo Akinfenwa………..11
Craig Mackail-Smith………..7
Eberechi Eze…………………..5
Joe Jacobson…………………..5 (inc 3 pens)
Paris Cowan-Hall…………….3
Nick Freeman…………………3
Luke O’Nien……………………3
Sam Saunders…………………2
Nathan Tyson…………………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………..9
Michael Harriman…………..3
Joe Jacobson…………………..3
Craig Mackail-Smith………..3
Sam Saunders…………………3
Nathan Tyson………………….3
Matt Bloomfield………………2
Paris Cowan-Hall……………..2
Eberechi Eze……………………2
Nick Freeman………………….2
Marcus Bean…………………..1
Sido Jombati……………………1
Luke O’Nien…………………….1
Dan Scarr………………………..1
Jack Williams……………………1
Newport Goal Stats (30 games in all Competitions)
Goals Scored (Total)………..Lg: 32…Cups: 9…..Total: 41
Goals Conceded (Total)……Lg: 26…Cups: 12…Total: 38
Goals Scored (Away)………..Lg: 17…Cups: 3…..Total: 20
Goals Conceded (Away)……Lg: 16…Cups: 7…..Total: 23
Clean Sheets……………………Lg: 8…..Cups: 2…..Total: 10
Failed to Score…………………Lg: 4…..Cups: 1…..Total: 5
Wycombe Goal Stats (29 games in all Competitions)
Goals Scored (Total)………..Lg: 41…Cups: 8…Total: 49
Goals Conceded (Total)……Lg: 32…Cups: 9…Total: 41
Goals Scored (Home)………Lg: 24…Cups: 6…Total: 30
Goals Conceded (Home)….Lg: 16…Cups: 8…Total: 24
Clean Sheets……………………Lg: 6…..Cups: 2…Total: 8
Failed to Score…………………Lg: 6…..Cups: 2…Total: 8
Wycombe – miscellaneous stats
Shots on-target (for)………….Lg: 123…Cups: 36…Total: 159
Shots on-target (against)……Lg: 87…..Cups: 26…Total: 113
Shots off-target (for)………….Lg: 195…Cups: 48…Total: 243
Shots off-target (against)……Lg: 140…Cups: 34…Total: 174
Corners (for)………………………Lg: 129…Cups: 44…Total: 173
Corners (against)………………..Lg: 100…Cups: 25…Total: 125
Ave possession (for)……………Lg: 51.13%…..Cups: 51.17%
Ave possession (against)……..Lg: 48.87%…..Cups: 48.83%
League Form Guide
All Season
Newport……….Pld: 23…W: 9…..D: 8…L: 6…Pts: 35…Pts per game: 1.52
Wycombe……..Pld: 23…W: 10…D: 7…L: 6…Pts: 37…Pts per game: 1.61
Last Five league Games
Newport………….LWDWD – 8 points (Rank-8)
Wycombe………..LWDWL – 7 points (Rank-12)
Last Five League Games (Away)
Newport……….WLDWW – 10 points (Rank-3)
Last Five League Games (Home)
Wycombe…….DDWWW – 11 points (Rank-2)
First 45 mins v Second 45 mins – Performance Comparison
First 45 mins
Wycombe…….W: 7…D: 10…L: 6…Gf: 18…Ga: 14…Ppg: 1.35
Second 45 mins
Wycombe…….W: 9…D: 8…..L: 6…Gf: 23…Ga: 18…Ppg: 1.52
Discipline *
Newport……….2 Red Cards – 48 Yellow Cards
Wycombe……..0 Red Cards – 53 Yellow Cards
Marcus Bean………………8 yellow (inc 1 Checkatrade)
Joe Jacobson………………7 yellow
Adam El Abd………………5 yellow
Luke O’Nien……………….4 yellow
Sam Saunders……………4 yellow
Matt Bloomfield…………3 yellow
Scott Brown……………….3 yellow
Dominic Gape…………….3 yellow
Anthony Stewart………..3 yellow
Adebayo Akinfenwa……3 yellow
Paris Cowan-Hall………..2 yellow (inc 1 Checkatrade)
Craig Mackail-Smith……2 yellow
Dan Scarr…………………..2 yellow (inc 1 Checkatrade)
Dayle Southwell…………2 yellow
Sido Jombati………………1 yellow
Nathan Tyson…………….1 yellow
From FA website *
Newport’s record last season
Home….W:6…..D:8…..L:9…..GF:26 – GA:35 – Pts:26
Away…..W:6…..D:4…..L:13…GF:25 – GA:38 – Pts:22
Total……W:12…D:12…L:22…GF:51 – GA:73 – Pts:48
Final position: 22nd 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
Previous Meetings
Since Wycombe joined the football league, there have been 5 wins for Newport, 3 for Wycombe and 1 draw.
At Adams Park, the tally is 3 wins for the Exiles and 1 for the Chairboys.
1973/74 FAC1.. Wycombe Wanderers 3 Newport County 1
1988/89 GMVC: Wycombe Wanderers 5 Newport County 0 *
1988/89 GMVC: Newport County 3 Wycombe Wanderers 5 *
2013/14 Lg2……Wycombe Wanderers 0 Newport County 1
2013/14 Lg2……Newport County 2 Wycombe Wanderers 0
2014/15 Lg2……Newport County 0 Wycombe Wanderers 2
2014/15 Lg2……Wycombe Wanderers 1 Newport County 2
2015/16 Lg2……Wycombe Wanderers 0 Newport County 2
2015/16 Lg2……Newport County 1 Wycombe Wanderers 0
2016/17 Lg2……Newport County 0 Wycombe Wanderers 1
2016/17 Lg2……Wycombe Wanderers 2 Newport County 1
2017/18 Lg2……Newport County 0 Wycombe Wanderers 0
* County failed to complete their fixtures in the 1988/89 season after going out of business on 27 February 1989 and their results were subsequently expunged.
The Man In The Middle
Tuesday’s referee is Charles Breakspear from Surrey who was promoted to the National List of Referees in 2013.
Earlier this season he refereed Wycombe`s 2-0 win over a West Ham U21 side.
Last season he took charge of three Wanderers games, a 4-2 home defeat to Coventry, a 1-1 home draw with Plymouth and a 2-0 win at Orient.
During the current campaign he’s issued 9 (nine) red and 108 yellow cards in 28 appearances.
Prediction
Wycombe 2 Newport 2
