Wanderers were undone by two late goals as MK Dons kept their automatic promotion hopes alive with a crucial win at Adams Park.
After valiantly holding out for over 60 minutes of the game with 10 men a smash and grab raid from the other team in Bucks condemned the Blues to an undeserved third straight loss on home soil.
It was a bitter pill to swallow for Paul Lambert and his merry men and a result that perhaps summed up the second half of the season for the club. Their was bags of energy and bags of endeavour but it came without reward.
In January the side were walking out at Stamford Bridge with promotion seeming to be almost a formality in the months to come. Three months down the line and they've been consigned to a third straight season in the basement division.
Paul Lambert, however, is always on hand to praise his troops and that was no different after this game.
"I thought they were absolutely brilliant considering we had ten men and were up against a good side," he said.
"We had them, there's no doubt about it. We were in the ascendancy but when that happens you're always liable to get caught becuase of the man advantage they had. Effort wise our players have been a credit to the football club."
The largest crowd of the season at Adams Park piled in to see two of the league's top marksman.
And they got value for money, even if neither got on the scoresheet.
For Wanderers 24 goal man Jermaine Easter was harshly dismissed for an unprovoked elbow on Dean Lewington while Izale McLeod failed to demonstrate the predatory form that's had him attracting fees of £1m this season.
The striker, who made a surprise return to action after three games out, had a trio of opportunities to edge closer to Easter and that Golden Boot award but couldn't convert any of them.
As early as 3 minutes in he drove a weak effort at another shock starter, Jamie Young, in the Wycombe goal and then when put clean through by High Wycombe born Dominic Blizzard, McLeod lobbed hopelessly over the bar.
Right on the stroke of half time he latched onto Gareth Edds' raking pass but despite evading the attentions of Russell Martin and Lewis Christon, the 22 year old again missed the target, this time from just six yards out.
By that time Wanderers were without their leading scorer following Easter's departure - and he wasn't the only one ordered off by referee Andy Hall. Also given his marching orders for the second time this season was Assistant Boss Steve Brown when he debated the decision to allow McLeod to run free earlier in the game. The referee's assistant on that side had heard enough and Brown was banished to the stands.
It meant Paul Lambert cut a lonely figure in the technical area for the majority of the contest, although his orders for a quick reshuffle with captain Tommy Mooney seemed to pay dividends.
Whether this is a local derby or not, the game had bite. Challenges flew in, tempers ran high and passion was etched in the faces of both sets of players. MK Dons had to win to keep their automatic promotion hopes alive whereas Wanderers, although not mathematically out of the Play Off race, wanted to bow out on a high at Adams Park.
That resulted in fast paced first half in which Sergio Torres again proved what might have been had he been fit to prance so elegantly around the Blues midfield this term. But with his usual array of tricks also came gusto from the Argentinian and after winning the ball to fend off a body of Dons defenders in the 42nd minute, a fierce shot had to be punched away by Ade Bankole.
Torres was then the architect for a Mooney free kick that dropped just wide when he was scythed down by Keith Andrews on the edge of the area and his skill had Lewington floored shortly after the restart. On that occasion Scott Golbourne struck the cross off target.
Dons were equally attack minded and Martin Allen had named a forward thinking line up with striker's McLeod and Clive Platt accompanied by the lively wing play of Lloyd Dyer and Albert Jarrett, the latter of which saw a fierce effort touched over by Young.
His replacement midway through the second half, John Hayes, also came close to breaking he deadlock. Hayes had an immediate impact and after jinking past five Wycombe bodies his final shot bobbled beyond the upright.
Matt Bloomfield was the next to demonstrate some flair and as legs tired for the Blues he created one last bit of magic that could have won the game. Torres eventually touched the ball on following Bloomfield's dash into the area but with just Bankole to beat, Mooney hesitated and Hayes blocked on the line as Bloomfield followed up.
They couldn't have given much more and even when Young pulled off a marvellous save to keep the scores level, it wasn't enough. Substitute Gary Smith reacted quickest to the rebound from Sean O'Hanlon's volley and sent the 1510 travelling support into an absolute frenzy.
It got even better for them moments later too as McLeod, who had done brilliantly to create the first goal, saved the best for last as he left Lewis Christon for dead and drilled past Young.
That puts him on 24 for the campaign, level with Easter and Richard Barker who both cannot add to their tally next week after respective red cards.
Wanderers: Young, Martin, Golbourne, Stockley, Christon, Torres, Bloomfield, Grant, Oakes, Easter, Mooney.
Subs not used: Crooks, Palmer, Cadmore, Gregory, McGleish.
Booked: Golbourne (foul), Grant (foul), Martin (foul).
Sent Off: Easter (violent conduct)
MK Dons: Bankole, Lewington, Diallo, O'Hanlon, Edds, Dyer (Knight,69), Blizzard (Smith,56), Andrews, Jarrett (Hayes,69) Platt, McLeod.
Subs not used: Harper, Watts.
Referee: Mr A Hall.
Matt Beadle reporting @ Adams Park.
