Wycombe Wanderers have recorded back-to-back defeats for the first time since March after they lost 3-1 at home to the Aston Villa Under 21s in the Papa John’s Trophy.

The Chairboys were dominant from the start and found themselves unlucky not to be ahead early in the seventh minute, when Brandon Hanlen, who was one of five players making their Wanderers debut, was denied by rookie keeper Oliwier Zych.

The ex Bristol Rovers man tested the keeper with a low drive from inside the box.

Any side of Zych and the Chairboys were 1-0 up.

However, it didn’t take long for Wycombe to get their goal, and what a moment it was for Connor Parsons, who too made his debut at Adams Park.

READ MORE: Live at Adams Park: Wycombe Wanderers 1-2Aston Villa Under 21s

The former Norwich trainee smashed in Garath McCleary’s loss cross from 10-yards to give the hosts an early lead.

The Chairboys continued to control the first-half as McCleary, who missed the defeat against Sunderland with an illness that wasn’t Covid related, saw his free-kick go just wide via a deflection, Hanlann again tested Zych in the Villa goal, and David Wheeler, who scored over the weekend, hitting the post with a crisp half-volley.

It was men against boys in the first Papa John’s Trophy match at Adams Park in two years.

Villa slowly got into the tie as Adam Przybek made two great saves to deny Caleb Chukwuemeka, before he blocked Cameron Archer with two more stunning stops in the same passage of play.

Unfortunately, he was helpless to deny Archer three minutes before the break, as the youngster, who scored a hat-trick against Barrow in the EFL Cup a week ago, got the Villains’ equaliser, with a low shot passed Przybek.

To avoid the typical cliché of ‘it was a game of two-halves’, Villa came out for the second period full of fire.

READ MORE: 'They took their chances and we didn’t' - Ainsworth's analysis as Wycombe fall short at Sunderland

The away side had more of the possession and caused several problems for the Wanderers backline, as Przybek again denied Archer with two more saves in quick succession.

One was from long-range whilst the other was from inside the six-yard box.

And their persistent way of playing finally paid off for the Midlands side, as Jaden Philogene-Bidace, who had tested Przybek seconds earlier, rounded the keeper to fire home from three-yards.


The youngster then got his second of the contest that sealed the win for the visitors, when he smashed home a low effort from 20-yards past Przybek in front of a small pocket of Villa fans in the eighth minute of injury-time. 


The loss means that’s now two defeats for Wycombe in two games, going into the international break.

The loss means that’s now two defeats for Wycombe in two games, going into the international break.

READ MORE: Double departure as Scott Kashket and Alex Samuel leave Wycombe

With no game this weekend, up next for the Chairboys is an away trip to Oxford United on September 11, before facing Charlton Athletic at home seven days later.

They next play in the Papa John’s Trophy on October 5, away at MK Dons.