A dominant Wycombe Wanderers performance came to nothing as they undeservedly lost 2-1 to Carlisle United in a lively match at Adams Park.

Adebayo Akinfenwa had given the Chairboys the perfect start before Jamie Proctor and Reggie Lambe gave Keith Curle’s side a real smash-and-grab victory.

Wycombe had numerous chances to equalise but some profligate finishing and great goalkeeping by Mark Gillespie ensured Wanderers suffered a sixth defeat in seven games and their first loss at home since October.

The in-form Akinfenwa gave the home side the lead after just three minutes when he headed deftly past Gillespie after an excellent cross by Anthony Stewart.

Carlisle, however, came back strongly and equalised with their first opportunity when Proctor was given too much space and he produced a cool finish from the edge of the box to beat Jamal Blackman.

Lambe then sealed the points for the Cumbrians on 34 minutes as he beat Blackman to steer the ball home after good work by Proctor.

Wanderers came back strongly after the equaliser and Sam Saunders went close with a free-kick on 16 minutes for Wycombe when he saw his strike deflected just over after a foul on Akinfenwa.

A minute later, Luke O’Nien saw his daisycutter well held by Gillespie after excellent hold-up play by Akinfenwa, as the Chairboys responded well to United’s equaliser.

Wanderers were beginning to get a grip on proceedings and were playing some very good football, with Alex Jakubiak and Sam Saunders looking particularly dangerous.

Saunders again provided a bit of class when he controlled Michael Harriman’s pass expertly before firing over from 25 yards on 28 minutes.

However, Lambe delivered the sucker punch six minutes later before Saunders was denied by an excellent save on 38 minutes when his curler was clawed away by Gillespie after excellent work by Paris Cowan-Hall.

The midfielder again tried his luck two minutes before half-time but was just off target with his long-range effort.

Carlisle almost nicked a third right on the interval but O’Nien cleared before a United player could strike.

Wycombe came so close to an equaliser on 51 minutes when that man Akinfenwa headed Harriman’s raking free-kick against the post with Gillespie beaten.

Wanderers were doing all the attacking at the start of the second half and again Cowan-Hall got in behind but Carlisle got back to snuff out the effort.

Jakubiak was the next Chairboys player to try his luck on 56 minutes but his rasping drive was well stopped by Gillespie.

It was one-way traffic for the home side and Cowan-Hall went agonisingly close on 58 minutes when he was put through by Akinfenwa but his half-volley went a fraction off target.

Carlisle did respond on 64 minutes when Will De Havilland cleared the danger after a dangerous cross from Jamie Devitt.

Cowan-Hall had another chance to get a deserved equaliser for Wycombe but he headed over on 76 minutes from Joe Jacobson’s excellent delivery.

Another chance fell for Wanderers on 79 minutes, this time for Jakubiak but he blazed over after running onto Akinfenwa’s flick-on.

Substitule Matt Bloomfield then came so close to giving his side the goal they deserved with 10 minutes to go when his thunderbolt flew agonisingly wide.

Gareth Ainsworth’s men were laying siege to the United goal and Jakubiak smashed a half volley over the bar with time running out.

Akinfenwa headed wide with two minutes left and a superb Jacobson cross but the visitors held firm to leave Wanderers perplexed as to how they didn’t get anything from this game.

Ainsworth will be worried about the current form of his team but the last two performances have ensured there are plenty of positives to work with.

WYCOMBE WANDERERS: Blackman, Harriman, Stewart, De Havilland, Jacobson, Gape (sub: Bloomfield, 74), O’Nien, Saunders (sub: Wood, 85), Jakubiak, Akinfenwa, Cowan-Hall (sub: Thompson, 77). Subs: Richardson, Jombati, Bean, Muller.

CARLISLE UNITED: Gillespie, Liddle, Gillesphey, Raynes, Brisley, Joyce, Lambe, Jones, O’Sullivan (sub: Devitt, 59), Adams (sub: Ibehre, 78), Proctor (sub: Waring, 90). Subs: Bacon, Bailey, Miller, McQueen.

REFEREE: Darren Drysdale