Accrington Web - Prediction League Game 5; Wycombe (home)

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Wycombe Wanderers

Prediction League – Game 5; v Wycombe (home)

One of the pre-season favourites for promotion (following last season’s 22nd place finish in Div 1), Wycombe set about the task with gusto – releasing, in one way shape or form 13 players, and replacing them with most of last season’s Brentford team (well, 4 of them anyway, coupled with 2 from Aldershot, and one each from Peterborough, Yeovil and Wealdstone). Best known signings may well be Ben Strevens and keeper Nikki Bull (both ex Brentford) plus Alan Sandell from the Shots, and the very experienced Danny Foster from Brentford (who was at the Daggers for the 5 seasons before last). Both Bull and Sandell played under current Chairboys’ Manager Gary Waddock when he managed Aldershot. Scott Rendell, another striker import, appears to have had more clubs than Tiger Woods (9 in 6 years, including loans – we’re one of the few he hasn’t played for; he has scored 67 times in his career so far, though, so watch out for him.)

Our record against them isn’t actually as bad as you might think; in 06/07 we beat them 2-1 at Fortress Crown (Craney and Mangan getting our goals) and then drew 1-1 at Adams Park; on the opening Saturday of 07/08 we did them 1-0 away (only Proccie from the current squad was in the starting 11, Paul Mullin getting the goal – it’s also the only win we’ve had on opening day since 06) but then lost the return in early Feb 2-0 in front of a crowd of just 1200; in 08/09, their promotion year, they did the double over us, winning 1-0 at our place with a goal (in time added on – yes, another one) from Chris Zebrowski (now with Billy Whizz at Torquay) and beating us 2-1 at home, Mullin getting our goal and Colin Murdock getting one of theirs! They were relegated last year with 45 points from their 46 games, scoring 56 and conceding 76. In League 2, we scored 62 (joint 9th) but we conceded 74 .

They opened the season brightly enough, beating Morecambe at home 2-0, with goals from Scott Rendell (pen) and Jon-Paul Pittman. They lost 2-1 in extra time in the Carling Cup at home to Millwall (Ben Strevens with their goal), and since then they’ve had three draws – 0-0 at Stockport, the same score at home to Oxford (ring any bells?) and then 1-1 at the Cobblers (Sandell with a first half free kick giving them the lead, and “an undeserving penalty” – quote from their web site match report – giving Northampton a point). They don’t concede many (3 in 5 games) but they aren’t scoring by the hatful either (4 in 5 games, whereas we’ve got 7 in 6)

The deadline for entries is, as ever, scheduled kick-off time, which is 3pm on Saturday 4th September. Thumping? Boring? Another nil-nil? Your guess is as good as mine (actually, since I’m equal 59th in the PL, your guess is undoubtedly better than mine :o)

Good luck to everyone ………… and thanks for playing!

:alright: