Accrington Web - Prediction League Game 33; Wycombe Wanderers (away)

Wycombe Wanderers

Accrington Stanley

Prediction League – Game 33; v Wycombe (away)

Seems an age ago that we played them at Fortress Crown; keeper Nikki Bull kept them in the game with a string of fine saves, and then mid way through the second half, and against the run of play (well I would say that, wouldn’t I :)) Matt Bloomfield scored at the back post from a cross by Jon-Paul Pittman, only for Rory Boulding to score a deserved equaliser :D in the 127th minute (alright, 94th). Overall our record against them stands (in the League) at W2 D2 L3, scored 6 conceded 8 ………. Could do better! :o

Quiet in the transfer window; they loaned (largely unused) midfielder Keiran Murtagh (5 appearances with 3 of them from the bench) to Blue Square South side Woking, and lost the services of Reading midfielder Scott Davies (they’d had him on two loan spells, he also having played for Yeovil in between and now having gone to Bristol Rovers; bet he has trouble remembering which bus to catch for his home games ….:)); left-sided defender/midfielder Anthony Straker joined on loan from Aldershot, mainly to cover for Andy Sandell, and ex Daggers (plus Spurs, Gillingham, Barnet and Stevenage) midfielder Stuart Lewis signed on a free, having been at Adams Park anyway on loan since November.

Out of all the Cup competitions (they triumphed over Hayes and Yeading and Chelmsford in the FA Cup before succumbing to the might of Hereford in Round 3), they currently lie 3rd in the League, with 50 points from 28 games, resulting from 14 wins, 8 draws and only 6 losses; their home record is P15 W8 D4 L3 F22 A16………… In all competitions they’ve played 34 times, scoring a modest total of just 50 goals; they’ve hit 4 twice (winning away 4-3 at Rotherham and at home 4-2 over Barnet), 3 twice (losing 6-3 to Bristol Rovers in the JPT and beating Chelmsford 3-1 in the 2nd Round FA Cup game); apart from that, they’ve got 2 in a game 12 times, 1 in a game also 12 times, and failed to trouble the scorers 6 times. Their last 7 games have resulted in 3 wins, 3 defeats and a draw; 6 goals scored (none in any of the three defeats); home form was 2 wins (Rotherham 1-0, Cheltenham 2-1), a draw (Port Vale 1-1) and a cup loss (Hereford 1-0).

Leading scorers so far are Scott Rendell (a summer signing from the Posh) with 9, strike partner Andy Sandell (also signed in the summer from Aldershot) and 37 year old, ex PNE, 500+ game Club captain / midfielder Gareth Ainsworth, each with 7, much-travelled midfielder Kevin Betsy (who was once signed for Fulham by Kevin Keegan :p) with 6, and Ben Strevens (who joined in the summer from Brentford, along with keeper Nikki Bull) and former Weymouth scoring sensation Stuart Beavon with 5 each; there are rumours of injuries to Rendell and Sandell, but all rather vague…… safer to assume they’re fit and to prepare accordingly :cool:

The deadline for entries is, as ever, scheduled kick-off time, which is 3pm on Saturday 19th February. They haven’t won in two; we haven’t lost in two; who are the form horses? Last minute Gareth Ainsworth tap-in? 94th minute Rory Boulding Special? Another draw – nil-nil or whatever (well, so far we've drawn 12, including 8 away!) Triumph? Disaster? (it will be if I don’t get some PL points soon). Make your guesses; place your bets; the Grand Prize remains there to be won ………….:D

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

:bingobang