Matty Taylor scored a hat-trick as Wycombe Wanderers lost 3-0 against Bristol Rovers and missed the opportunity to move into the League Two play-off places.

Taylor’s goals came in a 12 minute second half spell as he first scored from two inventive free kicks and then rounded off the win with a neat finish.

It was only Wycombe’s second away defeat this season and ended a run of six games in a row without a loss ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup clash at Millwall.

Gareth Ainsworth called in Danny Rowe for the suspended Aaron Pierre which meant disrupting a defence that was already without Stalwart Joe Jacobson further still.

Rovers started well and a powerful drive from the edge of the box drew a fingertip save from Matt Ingram that sent the ball just over the bar.

Rory Gaffney was making his home debut and epitomised much of the industry shown by the home side in the opening exchanges.

They again threatened the Wycombe goal as Taylor made an incisive run from wide on the left but his eventual shot was weak and Ingram got down to it with ease.

Wycombe were almost ahead with their first and only real opening of the match as the ball fell to Sam Wood just inside the box.

The winger set himself and was unlucky to see his high shot clip the outside of the post with Lee Nichols rooted to the spot in the Gas goal.

After playing four matches in just 10 days, and with most of the players playing a full 90 minutes in many of those games, the Blues looked jaded.

Their usual appetite and competitive edge was lacking as they battled against a fatigue that is understandable with such a schedule.

Danny Rowe and Luke O’Nien both allowed a high ball to bounce and presented Bristol with the most presentable chance of the half in the 37th minute.

Taylor was the benefactor as he seized on the loose ball in the penalty area but after a neat turn could only slice wide of the mark while stretching to connect with his shot.

Gaffney finished the half as he started it with an energetic burst through the centre of the Wycombe defence but could only fire wildly over from 20 yards out.

The effort mirrored the story of the half with Rovers shading the better of the chances but neither side being able to produce any real quality.

After the interval the match continued along the scrappy narrative it had followed in the first period as once again Rovers dominated the possession but produced little.

Garry Thompson had a chance to alter the pattern of poor play as he raced through on goal after a defender had misjudged a clearance.

He dwelt on the ball though and after trying to cut back inside had it taken off his toes as he steadied himself.

It would prove to be a costly error as Taylor’s inspirational display lit up the proceeding quarter of an hour.

His first came from a well worked routine after a questionable free kick had been awarded just outside the Wycombe box. 

The ball was first touched off and then flicked to Taylor who hit a rising strike that clipped the crossbar as it flew past Ingram just past the hour.

If his first was inspired the second came from sheer initiative. After the referee had awarded a free kick a quick pass was played to Taylor who immediately hit a powerful effort past Ingram from distance.

Even though the goal came from a quick free kick it was a fabulous effort to score from such a range.

Ingram denied the striker just minutes later as he stopped a point blank header with a world class save in which he clawed the ball away from his goal line.

Taylor though would have the last laugh as a defensive mix up in the 73rd minute let the ball bounce to him in the box and he passed into the net to complete his hat-trick.

It was a devastating display of finishing in a game in which the Blues never truly threatened to leave a mark on the hosts.

Wanderers spent the remainder of the game trying to contain the fluid attacking play of the buoyed hosts.

The man of the moment made way with seven minutes remaining to a standing ovation after his match-winning display had taken his personal tally to seven goals in five games.

Taylor's is the sort of goal return that the Chairboys crave themselves and on a night where they produced little they could not argue with the result.

 

Wycombe Wanderers: Ingram; Rowe, McCarthy, Stewart, Jombati, Harriman, O’Nien, Bloomfield, Wood (71 Sellers), Hayes (66 Amadi-Holloway), Thompson (c) (66 Ugwu)

Subs not used: Lynch, McGinn, Banton, Kretzschmar

Rovers: Nicholls, Leadbitter, (79 Cowan-Hall), Lockyer, Parkes, Mansell (c), O Clarke (Bodin 58), Sinclair, J Clarke, Taylor 10 (Easter 84), Clarke, Gaffney

Subs not used: Mildenhall, McChrystal, Harrison, Montano

Bookings: Amadi-Holloway (77 foul on Leadbitter)

Attendance: 6,136 (away 255)