Milton Keynes moved above AFC Wimbledon on Saturday afternoon in their bid to avoid relegation from League One as two second half goals saw them defeat a somewhat toothless Wycombe side in North Bucks.
Wanderers recent away form has been abysmal and may be the thing that keeps them in the third tier, whereas MK’s recent home successes may well have the same effect for them. Despite Wycombe sitting 18 places and 22 points ahead at kick-off, the result, in a bizarre way, went with the form book.
The Chairboys certainly started brightly yet despite a series of corners and much of the early stage being played in the home side’s half, they were unable to create any openings of note. The game was nearly forty minutes old before an opening occurred. Paul Smyth and Jason McCarthy linked up well on the left wing resulting in a deep cross that was met by Curtis Thompson. He struck his effort well, but it was blocked with Alex Samuel unable to turn home the loose ball.
Carlton Morris then had Milton Keynes first effort of the game in first-half stoppage time, but his long range effort was saved by David Stockdale in the Wycombe goal.
While Wycombe may have shaded the opening 45 minutes, there was very little in it with 0-0 being a fair reflection of proceedings.
The second half initially continued in the same vein, with a few more Wycombe corners which came to nothing.
On 62 minutes, the stadium rose as one in applause for Mark Bird, the Wycombe fan who lost his life on Tuesday night after being taken ill prior to the win over Blackpool. He was 62, some of his family and friends were at the game, the Wanderers players had worn t-shirts bearing his name and it was a moving site of football solidarity, stretching across the tribal divides of opposing fans.
In the game itself, the hosts upped the ante. Stockdale was again called into action, saving superbly from George Williams, but this was just a stay of execution. The resulting corner was cleared at first but the ball back into the box was flicked on to Rhys Healey at the far post who had the simple task of tapping home. The goal highlighted a key difference between the two sides – Wycombe had been putting plenty of balls into the box but they were often easily gathered by Lee Nicholls in the MK goal, whereas Jordan Houghton’s delivery found the target of Morris as Healey got in behind the defence.
Gareth Ainsworth responded immediately by bringing on Josh Parker in an attempt to give Wycombe some much needed presence in the final third. It almost worked immediately, as Parker flicked McCarthy’s cross goalwards, but it crept just wide of the post.
The game was ended as a contest with four minutes of normal time remaining when Ben Gladwell tried his luck from range. The ball squirmed under Stockdale and into the net, prompting questions in the away end as to Ainsworth’s decision to play the loanee ahead of Ryan Allsop. It’s now two mistakes in two games for the Birmingham City man, and arguably Allsop was dropped for far less.
It was important for MK to get a second given that Wycombe had scored a 90th minute goal in each of the last five encounters between the teams, and Wanderers frustration was evident when Anthony Stewart booted the ball into the crowd after MK were awarded a free kick. It reportedly hit a spectator who needed medical assistance. Stewart was rightly booked and the home fans let him know their feelings whenever he touched the ball thereafter. In was a stupid thing to do, but it is unlikely there was any malicious intent and the centre-back made his way to that section of the ground at full-time to seemingly check on the fan and make an apology.
By that point, Milton Keynes had seen the game out, with a Josh Parker free-kick sailing just wide being the sum total of Wycombe’s efforts in the seven minutes of additional time.
It leaves MK nine points clear of the relegation zone as former Wycombe player Russell Martin continues to show his intelligence as a player has stayed with him as a manager.
For Wycombe, they remain second but the away form is appalling – not a single goal has been scored on the road since mid-November. Could Wycombe have strengthened in the January transfer window to address this problem? If sustainability is the goal it would seem daft to throw money at a team that is just four points shy of its target for the season, while we don’t know if Gareth Ainsworth was unsuccessful in trying to bring in an attacking midfielder or striker before midnight on the 31st January. It’s also worth noting that Adebayo Akinfenwa was unavailable due to his involvement with a far less important sporting event this weekend and Scott Kashket is serving a two-month ban. Meanwhile, Fred Onyedinma remains a long-term absentee. Wycombe scored three or more goals in a game five times earlier this season and the last time they did this was the last time the big signing of the summer was available. Ainsworth commented before Christmas that he would be like a new signing in January but thus far he remains absent. The Wycombe boss didn’t mention a year, though.
At least Wanderers next two games are at Adams Park, as they welcome Bristol Rovers next week and then Fleetwood Town the Tuesday afterwards.
MILTON KEYNES 2 (Healey 66, Gladwell 86)
WYCOMBE WANDERERS 0
Att: 9,699 (Away 1,834)