Wycombe were the victors today in what can only be described as a four-goal thriller of a match, with Richard Konè scoring a hat trick in only nine minutes. And the Ivorian striker could have potentially written himself into the history books as the quickest scored hat trick by a substitute.
Wanderers were hoping to put the last game they played against Peterborough, which came at Wembley in the BSM Trophy Final, in the rear view mirror today as they kicked off in the early afternoon.
The game started quite quickly, with Wycombe on the front foot, with a chance ending up just wide of the post from a Dan Harvie free kick, and Garath McCleary once again showing his talent despite his age with a shot which was saved by Posh keeper Jed Steer.
It was a very eventful first half of football, which however didn’t end with any goals scored, some chances coming from the visiting side with some dangerous balls into the box but Wycombe quickly took control of the game once again with some brilliant football on the counter-attacks.
The second half began as the first ended, with Cameron Humphries having an effort cleared off the line However, it would be Peterborough that broke the deadlock with a cross into the box from Kwame Poku tapped home by Ricky Jade-Jones. Matt Bloomfield decided it was time for a change after this, with Fred Onyedinma and Cameron Humphries making way for Luke Leahy and Richard Konè. And it wouldn’t take long for Konè to find the back of the net, precisely only two minutes. Garath McCleary’s darting run and cross into the box was met by Konè who controlled and hit an effort on goal and equalised courtesy of a deflection.
Sixty seconds later, Konè added a second after a long ball by Josh Scowen was headed past Peterborough’s stranded goalkeeper Steer to give the Chairboys the lead. And Konè would cap off a phenomenal impact from the bench as Wycombe were awarded a penalty. Emmanuel Fernandez handballed a cross into the box leaving the referee with no option but to give the Blues a penalty and a second yellow card to Fernandez, to further compound misery on the Posh.
After much deliberation where Luke Leahy looked likely to take the penalty, Konè stepped up instead to complete a perfect afternoon for himself and Wycombe. Peterborough had moments to reduce the arrears with Archie Colins coming closest as his effort stroke Franco Ravizzoli’s post. But Wycombe saw out the game making it twenty points from a possible twenty four in the last eight games.
Wanderers fine result now puts them into third position, three points behind second placed Wrexham with a game in hand whilst only five points off table topping Birmingham City. As for Konè’s potential record breaking achievement, the last known substitute to have achieved this feat (in the Football league) was Jon Taylor for today’s visitors Peterborough back in 2016 against Blackpool. And he achieved that in twelve minutes.
