Full time report
A single goal from Joel Grant earned Wycombe a win at the Kassam Stadium this afternoon. Grant's 18th minute strike settled a game that never truly had the passion of a local derby, ending United's already distant play-off hopes in the process.
With JP Pittman, James Constable and Michael Duberry all back in the side United went for an attacking line up that featured Pittman, Constable , Alfie Potter and Tom Craddock in a four man attack. However after a cagey opening quarter of an hour it was the visitors who made the breakthrough on 18 minutes when Grant picked up the ball on the edge of the United box, wriggled through a couple of challenges and fired a low shot past the exposed Luke McCormick to make it 1-0 to the Chairboys.
United might have hit back immediately when Craddock headed over the top at the far post, but Stuart Lewis was just as close with a shot for Wycombe from the edge of the box a minute later. United then started to build up a head of steam and should have been level on 26 when a good move down the left fed Pittman inside the area. He turned neatly and curled an effort at goal with the outside of his boot which keeper Matt Ingram was very relieved to see fly to safety off the face of the right hand post.
United had the bulk of the play for the rest of the half and the irrepressible Andy Whing took time out from winning every fifty/50 ball in midfield to scuff a chance wide on 36 from a Damian Batt cut back, there was a late effort from Constable that cleared the bar, but there were few clear opportunities for either side as the game became disrupted by a succession of time-consuming injuries.
The sides then exchanged great chances in the first ten minutes of the second half . First Jo Kuffour burst clear for the visitors and forced McCormick to save smartly at his feet. Then Potter found space in the box at the other end but could only plant his shot rather tamely into Ingham’s arms from ten yards out.
Dave Winfield thumped a header over the top on 66 minutes and an error from Batt forced McCormick to make another excellent save from Kuffour with ten minutes to go but United rarely threatened to find a way through at the other end as the Chairboys saw the game out relatively comfortably.
The two sides will meet again next season...
Att: 6,777
Away: 1,132
Fifty/50 winning number 288185 wins £1,021
Report by Chris Williams, photography by Steve Daniels, stats by PA Sports