Whatever 2023 holds in store for Wycombe Wanderers, they could not have faced a much tougher start to the new year than a trip to Peterborough United on Sunday, January 1.

The Posh have a formidable record at their London Road stadium where they have won seven of their nine home matches, scored an average of two-goals-per-game, and conceded fewer times than any team in the division.

After being relegated from the Championship last season, Grant McCann’s side has made a solid start to life back in League One, and they stand just one point behind Wycombe in the table with a game in hand.

The teams met at Adams Park in October with Wanderers winning 3-1 despite going a goal down after 22 minutes.

Gareth McCleary equalised on the stroke of halftime, and the Chairboys went ahead thanks to a Lionel Messi-like turn by Nick Freeman to set up Sam Vokes for a tap in.

Anis Mehmeti completed the scoring in stoppage time following a great run by Alfie Mawson, ensuring another high-scoring encounter between the clubs with the last ten league meetings averaging more than four goals-per-game.

The Chairboys have a superior head-to-head league record against Peterborough with 11wins, eight defeats and six draws, and the Posh have not won a league game at Adams Park for 20 years.

However, their record at home is a different story.

Wanderers have conceded four goals on each of their last two visits to London Road, and their last win there came on the final day of the 2005/06 campaign.

Jermaine Easter and Mike Williamson scored in a 2-1 victory that guaranteed Wanderers a sixth-placed finish in League Two, but they went on to lose to Cheltenham Town in the play-off semi-finals.

This will be a difficult game for Gareth Ainsworth’s men and a stern test of their newfound defensive resolve which has helped them to climb the table in recent weeks.

A win at Peterborough added to December victories against promotion contenders Portsmouth and Ipswich Town, would get January off to the perfect start.