DEBUTANT Matty Whichelow was the spark as Wycombe Wanderers kept their cool to hold on to a precious three points at a bitterly cold Adams Park.

The 20-year-old transfer deadline day loanee scored one and had a hand in Gareth Ainsworth’s winner as the Blues bounced back from the 5-2 hammering at Brentford to rise out of the relegation zone.

But Tranmere will go home feeling they should have got at least a point, after hitting the bar twice, having two efforts cleared off the line and a stoppage time goal disallowed.

The two sides are now separated by just six points at the foot of League One.

And it all started so brightly for the visitors. Adam McGurk picked the ball up twenty yards from goal on six minutes and unleashed a vicious strike past a stranded Nikki Bull.

The ball moved all over the place and the Blues number one was beaten all ends up – not the start Blues boss Gary Waddock had in mind.

But Wanderers gradually thawed out and inched their way in to the game. And then came the trademark goal for a Wanderers debutant.

Captain fantastic Ainsworth whipped in a gorgeous swinging cross from the right and the diminutive figure of Whichelow stole in between two Tranmere defenders to level the game on 23 minutes.

The striker borrowed from Watford became the fifth Blue to notch in his first game for Wanderers, Waddock must wish he could sign a new player every week.

Seven minutes later, the Blues were in front with a goal ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous.

Matt Bloomfield, Stuart Beavon and the now supremely confident Whichelow took Rovers for a ride on The Chairboys carousel, with some wonderful one and two-touch passing.

That was the glorious, but the hideous – from a Tranmere point of view – was about to come, with some truly comical defending.

Whichelow dinked in a cross from the left handside which Rovers centreback David Buchanan flung himself at - but the defender inadvertently powered a header at his own goal.

Owain Fon Williams was at full stretch to keep the ball from flying in for an embarrassing own goal – but he couldn’t divert it out of harm’s way.

And, following a goal-mouth scramble, there was Ainsworth in the right place at the right time to prod the Blues into a half-time lead. It was fully deserved.

Both sides started the second half as if they wanted to be back in the warmth of the dressing room, with neither side looking threatening.

But then, out of nowhere, Rovers Mustafa Tiryaki picked Dave Winfield’s pocket and curled a shot past Bull but it would only rattle the Blues crossbar.

Wanderers were now under the cosh - it was all hands to the pump.

Tranmere had a good shout for a penalty turned down before, not one, but two Rovers efforts were cleared off the line by the resilient Blues rearguard.

Bull was counting his blessings again just three minutes later after a delicious free kick by Tranmere’s captain John Welsh dipped over the wall and beat the keeper, but he couldn’t beat the woodwork. Bull's goal was leading a charmed life.

And then deep in to stoppage time, Lateef Elford-Alliyu thought he had rescued a point for Rovers – bundling the ball into the net – only to turn around to see the assistant’s flag up.

Despair for the travelling fans, sheer delight for the Adams Park faithful who had watched their side cling on for dear life in the second 45 minutes.

After a promising start, it wasn't pretty in the end from Wanderers.

But Waddock will be delighted with the way his players battled and threw their bodies on the line.

A massive three points and the Blues - who were bottom at 3pm - now have their heads above water.

Wanderers: Bull, Laing, Basey, Winfield, Johnson, Ainsworth, Harper, Bloomfield, Strevens, Whichelow, Beavon. Subs: Foster, Grant, Lewis, McClure, McNamee.

Tranmere: Fon Williams, Holmes, Buchanan, Goodison, McChrystal, Devaney, Welsh, Wallace, Akins, McGurk, Tiryaki. Subs: Coughlin, Weir, Taylor, Elford-Alliyu, Brunt.

Attendance: 4,398.