Crawley 0,

Wycombe 0.

 

WYCOMBE preserved their unbeaten start to the season after a fully-committed battle at Crawley Town this afternoon.

They maintained their proud record of not having conceded a goal on their travels this term after a blood and thunder clash in West Sussex where the officials needed eyes in the back of their heads and keeper Matt Ingram showed why he is so highly-rated.

It was often bad tempered but Wanderers deserve huge credit for keeping their concentration in the heat of battle and with the home crowd baying for blood.

It wasn’t a game for the purists and Blues keeper Ingram needed to be at his best  to keep the pumped-up hosts at bay.

But Wanderers weren’t without their chances and it was Crawley glovesman Freddie Woodman who produced arguably the save of the day to keep out Aaron Amadi-Holloway who was taking his place up front with skipper Paul Hayes a surprise absentee. His absence and the consequent reshuffle afforded Jason Banton, the exciting wide player signed from Plymouth in the summer, the chance to come in for his first start.

There was a change at the back as well with on-loan Aston Villa man Janoi Donacien dropping down to the bench and right back Sido Jombati shuffling along the defensive line to join Aaron Pierre at centre back as he did in the win at Morecambe in Blues’ previous away trip.

Former Wanderers striker Matt Harold was a familiar face in the Crawley line up and Wanderers were hoping that the law of the ex didn’t curse them again after last week when former Chairboy Matt McClure scored against them for Dagenham.

It was a mistake-ridden start by both sides though. Crawley skipper Sonny Bradley needlessly headed a Garry Thompson flick out for a corner when it would have sailed easily into the keeper’s arms and then Wanderers’ Stephen McGinn was easily dispossessed on the halfway line giving Crawley a three on two break which they wasted.

Wanderers were quickest to settle though and they always looked to have that extra bit of quality. That was shown when Banton led the charge downfield. He was surrounded by five Crawley players but cleverly checked back to find a way out and spread the ball intelligently cross-field where Thompson made the most of the space advancing down the Crawley left before sending in a teasing low cross which Sam Wood, arriving late into the six yard box, toed just wide to the relief of the home fans.

Crawley were willing opponents though and, after being caught in possession again, McGinn was fortunate to escape a booking when he clipped Christian Scales’ heels as the full back was making dangerous advances towards the Wycombe area.

Both sides were conceding too many free kicks and there was a bizarre incident in the Wycombe box where Jacobson and Lewis Young tangled yards away from the ball with both of them hitting the deck in an incident unseen by the officials.

The fractious nature continued with Harrold chopped on the edge of the box and Wood produced a brave block charging down Roarie Deacon’s fierce effort from the resultant free kick.

At the other end, Banton was showing some delightful touches in the heat of battle. He was the architect when Amadi-Holloway volleyed his cross into the net only to be ruled offside on the half hour mark.

Crawley remained a danger on the break though and Wanderers were relieved to see Young’s shot deflected for a corner, which keeper Matt Ingram needed two attempts to deal with, after another incisive counter attack.

It should have been advantage Wycombe five minutes before half time though. Thompson ignored the howls from the crowd appealing for offside and fired in a shot which Reds keeper Freddie Woodman spilled straight into the path of Amadi-Holloway. The Wycombe striker stabbed the ball towards the empty net, but if Woodman had done poorly to spill the initial shot he did brilliantly to react and clutch Amadi-Holloway’s close-range effort into his gloves.

It was a terrific save but the keeper was relieved moments later when Amadi-Holloway did beat him, this time with a delicate flicked header from yet another Jacobson free kick which drifted wide of the post.

Jacobson’s set pieces were a constant threat and from another Pierre went close with a header which brushed off a defender and out for a corner. Jacobson again delivered it and noticing that the players were scuffling on the back post he tried to cheekily guide his flag kick direct into the gaping gap on the near side of the goal but succeeded only in finding the wrong side of the rigging.

The second half began as the first finished with Amadi-Holloway and Woodman continuing their personal duel with the keeper again coming out on top to block the Wycombe forward’s shot.

But Wanderers keeper Ingram also earned his wages diving full length to tip Simon Walton’s effort around his post as Crawley exerted come rare concerted pressure on his goal.

The challenges continued to fly in from both sides and referee Lee Swabey needed an extra pair of eyes to keep on top of it and with both teams realising how much he was missing both pushed it.

Jimmy Smith who was as tough as anyone in a Crawley shirt did do well with legitimate means to deny Amadi-Holloway as the pair rose on the back post to meet a cross which the Wycombe man appeared favourite to knock in.

The bad blood continued though and Wycombe seemed more intent on settling scores elsewhere on the pitch when they allowed Young space in their box to shoot off target.

Crawley came again though and Scales warmed Ingram’s gloves with a low shot after good work from Gwion Edwards. Edwards then turned provider whipping in a cross which Deacon headed over.

Edwards was becoming an increasing threat and when he rounded Jombati inside the box Blues needed another big save from Ingram to stay level.

The Blues keeper was called into action again as Young tried his luck from an excellent position 15 yards out but again Ingram had the measure of him in what was fast turning into Ingram’s busiest day of the season.

Wycombe weren’t a spent force at the other end but they were spending more time dealing with Crawley threats than fashioning opportunities for themselves but they very near won it when a deep Jacobson corner eventually found its way to Thompson who volleyed just wide of the target.

But it was fast becoming the Ingram show and the Wycombe glovesman improvised superbly with his feet to keep out Deacon’s shot after the Crawley man beat the offside trap to find himself with a clean run on goal.