6:37pm Monday 28th December 2009
Wanderers 2 Brighton 5.
WANDERERS sunk further into the League One quicksand as they crashed 5-2 at home to relegation rivals Brighton and Hove Albion.
The Blues twice led before folding like a deck of cards, tossing away 1-0 and 2-1 leads in embarrassing fashion against an Albion side who began the day just one place above them.
Glenn Murray, who was only playing because Liam Dickinson was suspended, helped himself to four goals but could have had six, while Nick Forster got the other.
Wanderers had no answer to Brighton's pace and determination and the scoreline could have been even heavier as the visitors ran Wycombe ragged in a second half which was as embarrassing as they come.
Brighton wanted it more and made the most of Wanderers' kamikaze defending which left Gary Waddock fuming afterwards.
If Wycombe thought their problems were in attack, they now know that their defence is equally, if not more suspect.
They shipped four goals at Yeovil on Boxing Day, and produced a lame attempt at stopping Brighton.
They have now conceded nine goals in their last two outings and taken just one point from their last 12.
And with matches against Norwich, Leeds and Charlton looming at the start of the New Year it is beginning to look bleak for a Wanderers outfit who have won just four times all season.
Even the two goals they did score owed a large amount to good fortune.
Jon-Paul Pittman's tight-angled drive which put them ahead on 27 minutes only arrived at his feet after the ball cannoed off two Albion defenders into his path.
Then Wycombe were gift-wrapped their second after a howler from Brighton keeper Peter Brezovan.
But at the other end, Wycombe's one-paced and hesitant defending made it all too easy for Brighton to make up for their glovesman's mistake in a one-sided second half.
Albion boss Gus Poyet had identified Wycombe's lack of pace at the back and rammed it into his players at half time that all they needed to do was run at them.
They did that and Wycombe's inability to keep up with them and unwillingness to go in where it hurts ensured that it paid huge dividends for the visitors.
The game had always threatened goals and indeed it was 4-4 the last time the sides met at Adams Park in the FA Cup earlier in the season.
Both sides had early chances and midfielder John Mousinho was just the width of a post away from handing the Blues a dream start inside the first three minutes.
Kevin Betsy won the ball deep in his own half, played it forward to Stuart Beavon and the striker who was starting in preference to Matt Harrold flicked it on for Mousinho.
The former Brentford man rampaged forward before unleashing a low drive which smacked the base of the post.
Albion also looked a threat though with the ageless Forster running at the Wycombe back line and Elliott Bennett providing no end of problems from the right wing.
And it was from a Bennett cross that Brighton should have opened the scoring. Wanderers left Murray completed unattended in the box but the Albion man wastefully headed over, giving little indication then that he had four goals in him.
Wycombe fans were breathing another huge sigh of relief moments later.
Forster rounded Blues keeper Scott Shearer but the Brighton man's touch took him too wide and Woodman got back to head his cross-cum-shot wide.
Blues had another let-off when Murray scuffed wide from 12 yards after Dean Cox had picked him out in the box.
Wycombe saw plenty of the ball but were struggling to turn it into anything of note until the 27th minute.
Beavon cut into the box before teeing up Betsy. He should have scored but went for a sidefoot which was blocked by Adam El-Abd.
Betsy ploughed in again and this time the ball hit an Albion defender before cannoning off another, Gavin Hoyte, into the path of Pittman who needed no second invitation to drill Wanderers ahead.
But only the timely intervention of Woodman prevented Brighton making an instant response.
The Blues skipper stretched out a long leg to steer the ball away from Bennett who had chased a long ball into the box and was all set to smash home.
But Brighton kept knocking on the door and got their reward on 35 minutes with Bennett the provider.
There looked nothing on when his wasit high cross found Murray on the edge of the box. He was closely chaparoned but it didn't stop him flicking out a leg to direct an overhead kick into the net for the equaliser.
Having worked so hard to get themselves back into the game, Albion then handed the lead back to Wanderers just five minutes later in bizarre fashion with a goal gift-wrapped in Christmas paper.
Tommy Doherty's free kick from the edge of the D looped off the top of the Brighton wall and into the arms of Albion keeper Brezovan who inexplicably, under no pressure, dropped the ball at the feet of John Mousinho who couldn't and didn't miss from three yards.
It was the Moose's last act as a midfielder before he was pulled back to right back as Lewis Hunt went off just before half time to be replaced by Matt Phillips.
Wanderers began the second period brightly and Pittman was just a foot wide from stretching Wycombe's lead when he poked wide right at the start of the second half.
But little did the Blues fans know that that was going to be it for the entire second half – as far as their team were concerned.
Seconds later the visitors turned their first attack into a goal.
Gary Dicker crossed low from a deep, Chris Westwood left it and Forster punished him by sweeping the ball low into the net for a 49th minute equaliser.
Seven minutes later Forster should have put the Seagulls ahead.
Murray outpaced Westwood down Blues left but his low cross carried too much pace for Forster who, arriving at the back post, made a hash of his shot.
Albion looked dangerous every time they attacked Wycombe'sponderous defence and they got their noses in front on 56 minutes.
Westwood let the ball bounce on the edge of the box allowing Forster to whip over a cross which Murray stole in to head home.
Forster and Murray then should have put the game beyond doubt with headers which they wanted much more than the Wanderers rearguard.
And after Scott Davies neat dummy and shot might have brought a Wycombe equaliser, Murray did put the game out of Wycombe's reach with his hat-trick goal from close range.
He then added his fourth on 80 minutes. Again Wycombe allowed the cross to come in from the right, Shearer missed the punch altogether and Murray bravely headed in Albions fifth.
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