BLUES BOUNCE BACK TO BEAT BORO
Posted on: Sun 27 Jul 2008
Matt Cecil reporting from Broadhall Way
Second-half strikes from strike duo Chris Zebroski and Scott McGleish handed the Wanderers a 2-1 friendly victory over Stevenage Borough on Friday evening as the Blues kicked off their double-header weekend with a hard-fought win at Broadhall Way.
Read the clockwatch here.
A bright start to the game saw both sides go in search of an early goal and it was the home side who gained the upper hand in the seventh minute, with a long quickly-taken throw from Steve Morison setting pacy striker Anthony Thomas through on goal and the former Barnet man slotted calmly under keeper Scott Shearer.
Peter Taylor's current side found it tough to break down his former club in the first half but a strong second-half performance from the Blues turned the game on its head and they were level on 49 minutes when Chris Zebroski latched on to youngster Jamie Turley's fine through-ball before rounding keeper Ashley Bayes to slot into an empty net.
Wanderers gained the momentum from their equaliser and superb midfield play from Robbie Rice saw his effort saved by Bayes before Scott McGleish slammed the ball home on 57 minutes, and the visitors showed enough resilience to prevent the home side from finding their way back into the game.
Peter Taylor adopted a 4-3-3 formation for the first time in pre-season with Gary Holt playing a holding role in a midfield three with John Mousinho and Lewwis Spence, but it was the home side who carved open the first chance with John Martin slicing a volley over the crossbar from 20 yards in the fifth minute.
But just as they had done at Forest Green on Saturday, the Blues succumbed to another early goal as Borough's multi-ball system allowed Steve Morison to launch a long throw forward for Anthony Thomas to latch on to and fire past Shearer to open the scoring in the seventh minute.
The Glaswegian keeper was called into action on 23 minutes as he palmed Daryl McMahon's fierce free-kick around the post and 17 minutes later he blocked a fierce close-range effort from Thomas after Steve Morison's clever knockdown.
Wanderers almost found an equaliser in stoppage time as John Mousinho powered down the right-hand side before seeing his powerful shot blocked in the area, but manager Peter Taylor would have been looking for an improvement from his second-half team as he made ten changes at the break.
And it only took four minutes to have an effect as young right-back Jamie Turley, making his first senior appearance for the Blues, found Chris Zebroski onside in the Borough half and the former Millwall man touched the ball past the onrushing Ashley Bayes before slotting it calmly into the net for his first goal in the quarters.
The goal seemed to give the Blues confidence and they began passing the ball around with more fluency and cohesion than previously, and it was another youngster who brought about the winner on 57 minutes as Robbie Rice battled hard to hold off the challenges of the Borough defence before sending an effort goalwards. Keeper Bayes parried the ball back into the danger area and Scott McGleish was on hand to bag his first strike of the pre-season campaign to the delight of the travelling support.
All of Peter Taylor's seven summer signings have the added bonus of being able to play in a number of different positions and the Blues used this flexibility to their advantage, regularly switching the positions of new arrival Nathan Ashton, Gavin Grant and Chris Zebroski to cause problems for the home side's defence.
The Wanderers boss handed a senior debut to Calum Botham in the closing stages as the Blues thwarted any Borough attacks but the withdrawal of striker Scott McGleish with a hamstring injury could be a concern to the Blues with the new season just two weeks away.
Wycombe complete their double-header weekend at Chelmsford City on Saturday (k.o. 3pm) where Taylor is expected to continue his policy of naming different sides for each half.
First Half XI:
Scott Shearer, Leon Crooks, Craig Woodman, Will Antwi, David McCracken, Gary Holt, John Mousinho, Lewwis Spence, Magno Silva Vieira, John Sutton, Leon Knight.
Second Half XI:
Jamie Young, Jamie Turley, Leon Crooks (Calum Botham, 76), Mike Williamson, Leon Johnson, Gavin Grant, Robert Rice, Tommy Doherty, Nathan Ashton, Chris Zebroski, Scott McGleish.
Stevenage Borough:
Ashley Bayes, Eddie Anaclet, Scott Laird (Scott Barron), Ronnie Henry, Mark Albrighton, Daryl McMahon, Mitchell Cole, John Martin (Andy Drury), Michael Bostwick, Anthony Thomas (Lee Boylan), Steve Morison (Jerome Anderson).
Reaction from Peter Taylor to follow.
Second-half strikes from strike duo Chris Zebroski and Scott McGleish handed the Wanderers a 2-1 friendly victory over Stevenage Borough on Friday evening as the Blues kicked off their double-header weekend with a hard-fought win at Broadhall Way.
Read the clockwatch here.A bright start to the game saw both sides go in search of an early goal and it was the home side who gained the upper hand in the seventh minute, with a long quickly-taken throw from Steve Morison setting pacy striker Anthony Thomas through on goal and the former Barnet man slotted calmly under keeper Scott Shearer.
Peter Taylor's current side found it tough to break down his former club in the first half but a strong second-half performance from the Blues turned the game on its head and they were level on 49 minutes when Chris Zebroski latched on to youngster Jamie Turley's fine through-ball before rounding keeper Ashley Bayes to slot into an empty net.
Wanderers gained the momentum from their equaliser and superb midfield play from Robbie Rice saw his effort saved by Bayes before Scott McGleish slammed the ball home on 57 minutes, and the visitors showed enough resilience to prevent the home side from finding their way back into the game.
Peter Taylor adopted a 4-3-3 formation for the first time in pre-season with Gary Holt playing a holding role in a midfield three with John Mousinho and Lewwis Spence, but it was the home side who carved open the first chance with John Martin slicing a volley over the crossbar from 20 yards in the fifth minute.
But just as they had done at Forest Green on Saturday, the Blues succumbed to another early goal as Borough's multi-ball system allowed Steve Morison to launch a long throw forward for Anthony Thomas to latch on to and fire past Shearer to open the scoring in the seventh minute.
The Glaswegian keeper was called into action on 23 minutes as he palmed Daryl McMahon's fierce free-kick around the post and 17 minutes later he blocked a fierce close-range effort from Thomas after Steve Morison's clever knockdown.
Wanderers almost found an equaliser in stoppage time as John Mousinho powered down the right-hand side before seeing his powerful shot blocked in the area, but manager Peter Taylor would have been looking for an improvement from his second-half team as he made ten changes at the break.
And it only took four minutes to have an effect as young right-back Jamie Turley, making his first senior appearance for the Blues, found Chris Zebroski onside in the Borough half and the former Millwall man touched the ball past the onrushing Ashley Bayes before slotting it calmly into the net for his first goal in the quarters.
The goal seemed to give the Blues confidence and they began passing the ball around with more fluency and cohesion than previously, and it was another youngster who brought about the winner on 57 minutes as Robbie Rice battled hard to hold off the challenges of the Borough defence before sending an effort goalwards. Keeper Bayes parried the ball back into the danger area and Scott McGleish was on hand to bag his first strike of the pre-season campaign to the delight of the travelling support.
All of Peter Taylor's seven summer signings have the added bonus of being able to play in a number of different positions and the Blues used this flexibility to their advantage, regularly switching the positions of new arrival Nathan Ashton, Gavin Grant and Chris Zebroski to cause problems for the home side's defence.
The Wanderers boss handed a senior debut to Calum Botham in the closing stages as the Blues thwarted any Borough attacks but the withdrawal of striker Scott McGleish with a hamstring injury could be a concern to the Blues with the new season just two weeks away.
Wycombe complete their double-header weekend at Chelmsford City on Saturday (k.o. 3pm) where Taylor is expected to continue his policy of naming different sides for each half.
First Half XI:
Scott Shearer, Leon Crooks, Craig Woodman, Will Antwi, David McCracken, Gary Holt, John Mousinho, Lewwis Spence, Magno Silva Vieira, John Sutton, Leon Knight.
Second Half XI:
Jamie Young, Jamie Turley, Leon Crooks (Calum Botham, 76), Mike Williamson, Leon Johnson, Gavin Grant, Robert Rice, Tommy Doherty, Nathan Ashton, Chris Zebroski, Scott McGleish.
Stevenage Borough:
Ashley Bayes, Eddie Anaclet, Scott Laird (Scott Barron), Ronnie Henry, Mark Albrighton, Daryl McMahon, Mitchell Cole, John Martin (Andy Drury), Michael Bostwick, Anthony Thomas (Lee Boylan), Steve Morison (Jerome Anderson).
Reaction from Peter Taylor to follow.
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