For the first time in 42 days, Wycombe Wanderers will play a home fixture on a Saturday afternoon.

They will take on an inform Stevenage team who are taking no prisoners despite this being their first season back in League One since 2014.

So what can we expect from the fixture this afternoon?

Lowdown on Wanderers

Last weekend’s victory away at Bradford in the FA Cup ended a run of four games without a win, but it also meant that Wanderers are now unbeaten in their last five when on the road.

Additionally, the Chairboys have only lost one of their last seven in all competitions, with that being the 4-2 home defeat against Bolton Wanderers at the end of October.

In all, Matt Bloomfield’s side are very much a team in progress and with the 39-year-old being open to changing formations and regularly rotating the team, there is usually a fresh look whenever Wycombe step out.

For example, Wycombe opted to go with four at the back against Bradford in the FA Cup, rather than having their usual three or five in defence.

Luke Leahy, who has since scored six goals in 20 games following his move from Shrewsbury in the summer, has been deployed as a defensive midfielder, a left-sided centre back and a left-wing back in the time he has been at the club.

This ability, which has so far been proven successful, shows that Wycombe are on the road to something great.

Lowdown on Stevenage

What can you say about Stevenage?

The Hertfordshire-based outfit are very much enjoying life back in League One after a nine-year absence.

Many had tipped Steve Evans’ side for a season of struggle but as it stands, the Scotsman’s side are sitting in the final play-off places with just four defeats from their opening 16 games.

This includes winning on seven occasions, with some of those victories coming against Derby County and Wigan Athletic.

This afternoon’s fixture will also see the return of former fan favourite, Nick Freeman.

The 28-year-old spent seven years at Adams Park where he was part of two promotions-winning teams in 2018 and 2020.

During his stint in Buckinghamshire, he played just short of 200 games for the Chairboys, scoring on nine occasions.

Head-2-Head

Games: 16

Wycombe wins: Six

Draws: Four

Stevenage wins: Six

Last five matches

2023/24: Stevenage 0-1 Wycombe Wanderers (EFL Trophy)

2022/23: Stevenage 3-0 Wycombe Wanderers (EFL Trophy)

2021/22: Stevenage 2-2 *Wycombe Wanderers (League Cup – Wycombe won 5-3 on penalties)

2019/20: Wycombe Wanderers 0-1 Stevenage (EFL Trophy)

2017/18: Wycombe Wanderers 1-0 Stevenage (League Two)

Miscellaneous

  • Today’s referee is Ben Speedie
  • He has taken charge of three Wycombe games in his career and they have each resulted in a win, draw and loss
  • The victory was against Cambridge United in April 2023, the draw was versus Portsmouth in March 2022, and the defeat was at the hands of Burton Albion in November 2021
  • The latter was the referee’s first time officiating a fixture at Adams Park
  • His assistants are Ryan Whitaker and Stephen Brown whilst the fourth official is Alan Cresswell
  • Today’s fixture will see a Remembrance Day minute of silence take place before kick-off
  • Additionally, today’s match against Stevenage is to celebrate the hard work produced by the Wycombe Wanderers Foundation
  • It will be the first league meeting between the two sides since May 2018, which Wanderers won 1-0
  • That victory took place a week after Wycombe secured promotion to League One, with Matt Bloomfield scoring the winner at Adams Park