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Wycombe Wanderers 1-4 Ipswich Town - Match Report
Tuesday, 2nd Nov 2021 21:52

Bersant Celina scored twice and Macauley Bonne and Wes Burns once each as the Blues came from behind to win for the first time this season as they defeated Wycombe 4-1 at Adams Park, ending the Chairboys’ 100 per cent home league record. David Wheeler gave the home side the lead on 17 but Town hit back with Celina’s first 10 minutes later. Bonne made it 2-1 with his 11th of the season six minutes after the restart and Burns added the third on the hour, before Celina added the fourth in injury time to add the icing to a brilliant Town victory over one of the sides making the early season running.

Celina, Wes Burns and Kane Vincent-Young all came into the starting line-up with the Kosovo international starting as the number 10 with Conor Chaplin, who has had a back problem recently, dropping to the bench.

Vincent-Young was at right-back having been injured at the weekend with Janoi Donacien still absent having been taken unwell on Saturday morning, as was Wes Burns, who was back on the right wing.

Hayden Coulson moved to left-back with Matt Penney and Luke Woolfenden dropping out of the 18. Sone Aluko and Scott Fraser were back in the squad after injuries and were on the bench.

For Wycombe, former Town loan keeper David Stockdale started and another ex-Blues glovesman Adam Przybek was on the bench.

The fourth official was Alan Young, who was the referee who wrongly disallowed a Town goal against the Chairboys at Portman Road in November 2019 and who took Leyton Orient and Hartlepool off before injury time had been played at the end of the first half at the weekend, instead playing it at the start of the second.

After a minute’s silence ahead of Remembrance Sunday, the two teams took a knee, with the usual exception of Toto Nsiala, who stood and raised an arm.

Town, wearing their white and black away kit, were first to threaten in the fourth minute, Lee Evans hitting a shot from outside the area wide from the edge of the box.

Wycombe went close in the seventh minute when David Wheeler knocked down a Joe Jacobson cross to Brandon Hanlan, whose shot squirmed wide off a defender. Christian Walton confidently claimed the resultant corner in front of the very noisy Town support.

Coulson required treatment after a fair but strong challenge as the game approached the quarter-hour mark.

After the game restarted, with Coulson clearly hobbling, Wycombe took a 17th-minute lead.

Walton looked to be prevented from coming for a corner from the left, Ryan Tafazolli headed down and Wheeler shot home from close range.

Walton protested to referee Lee Swabey that he had been fouled but to no avail and Town found themselves behind.

The Chairboys threatened again two minutes later but Dominic Gape’s shot was blocked by a defender.


Coulson eventually made way in the 22nd minute with Cameron Burgess taking over at left-back.

Town had shown little since Evans’s early shot but in the 28th minute they levelled out of nothing.

Skipper Sam Morsy was allowed to bring the ball forward midway inside the home side’s half before laying the ball off to Celina, who took a touch before hitting a shot which took a deflection before keeper Stockdale was only able to palm it into his net. The one-time Blues loanee’s subsequent reaction showed he felt he should have done better.

The atmosphere of the game completely changed after the goal with the Town fans now the ones making the noise, the home supporters having made themselves heard having gone ahead.

On the pitch, the Blues looked a far more confident and positive outfit. On 28 Celina went looking for his second but on this occasion Stockdale saved.

Town continued to dominate, playing keep-ball with Wycombe losing it quickly whenever they got hold of it. On 43 Vincent-Young cut in from the left and saw a shot blocked before Burns’s subsequent effort was deflected behind.

In the first of four additional minutes, Macauley Bonne almost hassled Anthony Stewart into an error but the Chairboys’ centre-half eventually put his foot through it and cleared the danger.

The Blues were warmly applauded off at half-time having been much the better side after they’d scored, passing the ball around slickly and with confidence, while the home side had been very much in charge prior to Celina’s strike with Town slow to get going.

Wycombe made the early second half running, winning a corner on the left. However, following the flag-kick the Blues broke quickly and went in front.

After Morsy had won a tackle on halfway, Celina moved it on to Edwards, who tricked his way to the byline and sent over a deep cross which Stockdale was only able to paw at a stretch behind Bonne. The striker superbly took the ball down with his left foot before lashing home with his right on the turn to claim a brilliant 11th goal of the season.

Bonne and his team-mates celebrated in front of the Town fans in the Lords Stand with subs Fraser and Chaplin, who had been warming up, joining in.

The Blues continued the pressure with Bonne not far away from a second when he was just unable to lift a bouncing ball over Stockdale. On 56 Hanlan was booked for tripping Vincent-Yoing on halfway.

And on the hour the full-back played a big part as Town made it 3-1. The former Colchester man tricked his way to the byline on the right before cutting back to Burns, who stumbled as he took his first touch before smashing a strike across Stockdale and into the top corner giving the keeper no chance.

Wycombe looked to fight back and in the 65th minute they came very close during a goalmouth scramble in which Tafazolli’s shot hit his own player on the line, Nsiala missed his clearance and then Hanlan scuffed wide.

On 67 a Wheeler shot deflected into the side-netting with the Blues under pressure for the first time since Celina’s goal. In the 70th minute Joe Jacobson curled a free-kick just wide.

A minute later, Town broke down the left and Burns struck a shot which Stockdale palmed away but past the lurking Bonne.

Nsiala was booked in the 74th minute for preventing Wycombe from taking a harshly-awarded free-kick and clashing with Wheeler, who was lucky to avoid a card himself.

A minute later Hanlan was fortunate not to see his second yellow card of the game and then a red for leaving a boot in on Evans.

While the Blues prepared to take the free-kick, Town swapped Vincent-Young, who had made an impressive return to the team, for Rekeem Harper, who moved into the number 10 role with Burns at right-back, Edwards at right wing and Celina on the left wing.

Wycombe introduced Adebayo Akinfenwa, Daryl Horgan and Sullay Kaikai for Jacobson, Wheeler and Gape.

Akinfenwa’s physicality immediately had an impact, Walton tipping a header over from a corner from the right.

From the flag-kick, Walton did superbly to get down to his right to save sharply from Stewart’s header. Moments later, there was another flashpoint with Evans ending up on the floor but referee Swabey resolved matters without the use of a card.

The Chairboys continued their pressure with the Blues pinned back in their half with the centre-halves and Burgess heading away plenty of balls and Walton coming and claiming on a number of occasions.

Josh Scowen was booked for a foul on Harper on 85 before Edwards hit a well-struck shot which deflected wide for a corner with the Blues appearing to have weathered the storm. Moments later, following the corner, Harper saw a strike blocked.

As the game moved into injury time Aluko took over from Edwards, who, along with most of the squad, could be pleased with his evening’s work.

Deep in injury time, Celina made it 4-1 when he was sent away following a Wycombe corner, took the ball past Stockdale who had moved up to the halfway line, then ran through into the area before tapping into the empty net.

After the on-loan Dijon man had celebrated by taking off his shirt, the final whistle was celebrated loudly by the delighted Town crowd behind the goal.

Town had thoroughly deserved their win, the Chairboys’ first at home in the league in eight stretching back to April, having dominated for spells and defended resolutely when the home side were putting them under pressure.

The win, Town’s third on the road this season and their first ever victory over Wycombe, sees them up to ninth, four points off the play-offs.

Wycombe: Stockdale, Jacobson (c) (Akinfenwa 76), Gape (Horgan 76), Stewart, Tafazolli, Wheeler (Kaikai 76), Vokes, Hanlan, Obita, McCarthy, Scowen. Unused: Przybek, Grimmer, Thompson, Mehmeti.

Town: Walton, Vincent-Young (Harper 76), Nsiala, Edmundson, Coulson (Burgess 22), Morsy (c), Evans, Burns, Celina, Edwards (Aluko 90), Bonne. Unused: Hladky, Chaplin, Fraser, Pigott. Referee: Lee Swabey (Devon). Att: 6,943.


Photo: Pagepix



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cat added 21:53 - Nov 2
Proud to be ITFC tonight, awesome performance and awesome support. Buzzing again!
52

BerkshireBlue78 added 21:54 - Nov 2
Wow. 4 goals. 3 points. Away… against a side that had an unbeaten home record before tonight.

That's more like it… thought we soaked up pressure and looked tough against a very physical side. Heads stayed up when we went a goal behind too, so our mental toughness matched our physical.

Morsey again waved his conductors wand, orchestrating a calmness in the centre, while the wing play had pace and Celina pounced on every ball that came his way…

Players knew where each other were, and what they were capable of in situations. That's the sign of a gelled side.

Walton's save approaching the 80 min mark was class and vital. Burns again ran his socks off, deserved his goal. Vincent-Young adventurous, defense looked good, midfield put in a serious graft.
Mentally we looked very, very strong. Big effort = nights like this.
We are reeling those above us in.
Great night… COYB
43

ImAbeliever added 21:54 - Nov 2
YES
16

fizzyblue added 21:54 - Nov 2

Ladies and gentlemen we have arrived!!! Well done the boys… That was a massive performance. God imagine if we only played in a Tuesday night. Burgess was outstanding when he came on. Just think if we had Burns, Donacian or Vincent-young available against Plymouth think we could have sneaked a win there.
22

BromleyBloo added 21:55 - Nov 2
Bloody brilliant!!! COYB!!!

Wycombe started well, we didn't! They pressed high, put in lots of crosses and we couldn't get out of our half, which eventually resulted in the inevitable from a corner where we lost the first ball and the second. After that we looked so fragile, soft and under pressure - really poor, not competing and a second goal seemed only a matter of time.

Then something strange happened. Suddenly Wycombe stopped pressing and slowly we grew in to the game with Morsy becoming more influential, along with KVY going forward and Celina finding lots of space in the middle. Cue deserved equaliser then roles reversed fully and they were under pressure with us finishing the half in the ascendancy, deservedly level.

Second half started scrappy, but first good move was ours - Celina and Edwards on the left then Bonne brilliant turn and finish on the end of the cross. Then we had 20 mins purple patch including Burns bullet for the third and Wycombe really losing it. Last 20mins they came back at us - lots of free kicks and corners - and very physical with it, but for once, respect, the defence stood strong! Then Celina at the end put the icing on the cake.

Morsy so strong and influential, Celina and Edwards must start again, promising so much with more to come. Burns also good, as well as Edmundson, Burgess, KVY………

…………….but all brilliant! COYB!!!
27

BromleyBloo added 21:56 - Nov 2
………….Oh and support sounded fantastic - well done boys!!!
19

DaGremloid added 21:56 - Nov 2
Blimey! Can we scrap playing on Saturdays and just play on Tuesday nights?
17

Northstandveteran added 21:56 - Nov 2
A consistent improvement every game.

Two thirds of the season to go.

Starting to believe.

Amazing away support.
31

Nobbysnuts added 21:57 - Nov 2
Superb..just Superb....well done everyone. Great attacking performance. Cellina is quality...but then we already knew that.
28

Orraman added 21:57 - Nov 2
Everyone gave a heroic performance tonight and so difficult to pick a man of the match but it surely must go to Sam Morsy who was absolutely phenomenal. What a midfield display.
Another fantastic away support again
28

Bluearmy_81 added 21:58 - Nov 2
Get in!! Great game, played so well. We're playing football to be thoroughly proud of again. In Cook we trust 💙ITFC
27

blue86 added 21:59 - Nov 2
Have that wycombe for your home record!!!! Haha. Cant signal anyone out really, very good performance from every man on the pitch in a town shirt. We are very capable when we are on form, just have to make sure we are concentrating and on it all the time for the whole game. Very impressed let's keep it going, coyb!!
14

Saxonblue74 added 21:59 - Nov 2
Top quality v hoofballing neanderthols……quality won! Best performance of the season. Come on Town, consistency now please! Proud of the fans again tonight
15

ShropshireBluenago09 added 22:00 - Nov 2
Superb performance all round, all played their part.
Morsy, Celina and Bonne all head and shoulders above this league.
We're Ipswich Town, we're on our way back!
11

LonE17Blue added 22:01 - Nov 2
Proud of you tonight Ipswich Town!
12

brendenward35 added 22:01 - Nov 2
That was great to watch every player put in a good shift definitely playing for the shirt. Well done everyone. Amazing support yet again. Celina's 2nd goal was a peach Stockdale left on his backside so funny.
11

cranky_old_tractor added 22:02 - Nov 2
Excellent performance and a statement! Its just getting better and better......COYB!
9

runningout added 22:03 - Nov 2
No one better in this league or leagues above on our day or night :-)
3

Jugsy added 22:05 - Nov 2
Where are the boo boys? You guys at the Plymouth game calling Cook out? Those calling for Cook's reaction? Wanted him to say more? Are you there? Jokers…
8

BlueandTruesince82 added 22:06 - Nov 2
3 from the last 2 is OK. I'd have taken 4 before Sat. We're slowly making our way up the league. I think we have to stick with Cook and give him a good crack at it. We're simmering still, waiting to boil at the right time.
-3

chopra777 added 22:07 - Nov 2
Tuesday is a good day to score 4 goals away from home! After a difficult 20 minutes, the choirboys switched off and gave us the chance. No one was outstanding. This was a good team performance and we dug deep to get this brilliant result. 3 out of 6 . Play offs now looks in reach. Keep up the pressure boys. Well done tonight.
4

ArnieM added 22:09 - Nov 2
Absolutely outstanding performance Town….. let's keep doing this now .
Amazing what happens when you give new players TIME to bond/ gel etc ….
10

DifferentGravy added 22:10 - Nov 2
Yahoo! Overcame a difficult start to come roaring back into a 3-1 lead. Then weathered countless balls into the box (a few needless free kicks) for 15 minutes before breaking away to seal a FANTASTIC away performance. Well done Cook, well done lads and well done away support.......vocal the entire game!

COYB
6

BeethorpeAndy added 22:10 - Nov 2
Unbelievable performance! We are gelling! Celina must learn to keep his shirt on! Another yellow! COYB.
7

ringwoodblue added 22:12 - Nov 2
A BIG statement win against another promotion contender which will give the team confidence and belief for the upcoming games. Celina starting to show his class. It just feels like we have turned a corner tonight.
8


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