The Perfect Storm

Gozie Ugwu’s close range effort in the third minute was all the visitors needed to record the victory at Home Park, where the action almost continued past the 17:00 mark, due in part to Wycombe’s tactical plan.

 

“They did that most of the afternoon - they wasted time,” said Derek. “We had nine minutes of injury time at the end of the first half, and had a good number in the second half.

 

“They did frustrate us, they did foul a lot, they did go down injured, but that’s the nature of the way they play. That’s something they see as being successful. We thought we had the momentum going and then the game stopped for one reason or another.”

 

Referee Philip Gibbs waved away huge shouts for a penalty in the first half as Reuben Reid was brought down in front of goal – an incident that did not help the reaction he received from both the stands and the touchline.

 

“People can see what I can see from the touchline,” said Adams, “and it’s not the first time this season it’s happened to us at home.

 

“I think we’re the second team in the league not to have a penalty; it was a stone-wall penalty on Reuben Reid in the first half. From where I was it looked like he was holding him up, and he had bear-hugged him. He’s going to have a goal-scoring opportunity.

 

“We’ve had to overcome a lot this season; not having a penalty, and the amount of time-wasting that has been going on at Home Park has been ridiculous. That’s something that has to be looked at.

 

“I think it started very early in the game, with the injury time. One of the players went down with a head knock, and then it was his leg he was getting treatment. I can see that, everyone in the stands can see that. That’s not what people come to pay their money for.

 

“It’s not something that is good for the game, and we’re probably disappointed the game happened in that fashion. It’s something that English football doesn’t want to see – players going down, going on about a head injury, when they don’t have a head injury.”

 

Even the playing surface did not seem to play into Argyle’s hands, as the recent torrential weather takes its toll on the Home Park pitch.

 

“It’s definitely not helping the style of football that we play,” and Adams, “and there’s nothing we can do about that. It won’t be rectified until the summer, but that’s just the way the pitch is.

 

“Everybody’s tried their best to get it going, but the weather is the way it is.”