Wycombe 3-1 Notts County

Wycombe put in an assured performance as they completed a convincing 3-1 win over 10-man Notts County which featured John Sutton’s first home goal.

Again, Paul Lambert stuck to his team selection and despite looking initially doubtful, Russell Martin lined up at right back. The first half was a relatively drab affair but it was Notts County who came closer.

They struck the woodwork from a corner and looked threatening at set pieces with some hesitant Wycombe defending. Sam Stockley went close for the Wanderers with a surging run from left back which culminated in his long range shot going wide. In-form Scott McGleish also went close but couldn’t quite make contact with Martin’s teasing cross.

As the half closed, both sides had cancelled each other out with some direct play and it needed someone to take the game on in the second half….

….and that they did, clever work by Sergio Torres set Martin Bullock on his way and after a brilliant weaving run was hauled down by Paul Mayo and the referee pointed straight to the spot followed by a delve into his pocket for the red card. Both McGleish and John Sutton had their eyes on it but Tuesday’s scorer Sutton stepped up confidently and sent the ‘keeper the wrong way, a deserved lead.

He should have had a second minutes later but after following up Martin’s strike that hit the post, he could only messily touch it wide. This mistake was made to look costly as Richard Butcher was given time and space in the Wycombe box and despite a string of Wycombe players diving to block the ball he found the bottom corner.

The end-to-end game took another swing and after a great knock on by Sutton, McGleish took it away from the defender before firing across goal into the bottom corner brilliantly to allow Wycombe to regain the lead.

Torres and Bullock were running a midfield masterclass and Torres was clean through but placed his shot too near Kevin Pilkington.

However, it was a substitute that made the game safe. Matt Bloomfield surged through the tiring County midfield after another superb pass from Torres and placed it calmly into the bottom corner followed by an animated celebration for the man making his 150th appearance for the club.