F.C. Lions of Wycombe extended their unbeaten run to 4 games this morning, with a comprehensive 4-0 destruction at home to Ickford Reserves, at the Rye.
The Lions management team of Carter & Tilbury kept faith with the same 10 players who battled so valiantly, and won so impressively against Chinnor Reserves last time out, whilst bringing captain Scott Sharples back into the starting lineup after the midfielder recovered from his illness. There were places on the bench for David Grabe, Scott West and Ed Fletcher, included for the first time since signing 2 weeks ago.
The Lions created a fair few good opportunities in what proved to be a goal-less first 45 minutes of football. Scott Sharples had the beating of his man down the Lions left hand side, and the partnership between him and Keegan Casey, playing behind, looked dangerous every time they linked up. Will Carter had three attempts on goal, all failing to trouble the keeper whilst John Tilbury blazed over from 25 yards and Keegan Casey saw an effort well saved. Alan Davies thought he had given the Lions the lead when he first hard at goal inside the box in the 37th minute, only to see the Ickford keeper equal to it, and the shot tipped over the bar.
Ickford had chances of their own though and the Lions had to be thankful for keeper Tom Stevens who tipped a fierce long range effort around the post, just before half time. Simon Thomas had carried his form on from the last game and continued to be a stubborn wall in the way of any Ickford attack.
Centre back Ed Fletcher stepped off the bench during the break, to make his competitive debut at this point, replacing Luke Bond who had battled well. The message at the break was clear: Improve the quality on the final ball, make the correct pass selections and keep plugging away.
These words seemed to fire the boys in blue up, and they emerged at the start of the second period chomping at the bit, and some slick play between Sharples and Sam Jordan resulted in the latter nipping in ahead of the keeper at the near post to poke the Lions into the lead. This was Jordan's second goal in two games since his recent signing and he looks to have settled in superbly well.
Winger Royan Collins had enjoyed a fine start to the game and was causing Ickford all sorts of problems on the right wing, his ball to Carter was precise and Carter won a corner when his cross was blocked. From the resulting Scott Sharples corner, the ball was blocked on the line and a goalmouth tussle ensued with first Tilbury then Collins seeing efforts blocked before the ball was cleared away to safety.
Carter then rung the changes and David Grabe came on to replace an ineffectual Alan Davies. This change released John Tilbury forward to partner Carter, with Casey pushing up to left wing and Sharples dropping into the middle. Within 5 minutes of his entrance, the change worked to a tee, with Tilbury laying the ball across goal for Grabe to sidefoot home his first goal in blue and white colours to give the Lions a 2-0 lead.
With the team now growing in confidence, goals looked to be on the cards with every attack, and then in the 69th minute, Ed Fletcher was adjudged to have fouled the Ickford striker in the area as he charged towards goal. It was harsh on Fletcher, as the tackle looked fair, and he had looked superb in the first 24 minutes of his debut, slotting in seamlessly alongside Simon Thomas and providing some much needed aerial prowess and physical strength to the Lions back line.
Carter then decided to up the ante with some "managerial mind games" and brought on Scott West for Danny Stacey in the break in play. It was thought that the extra delay in play would unsettle Ickford's Penalty Taker, Joe Robinson, and it seemed to have an effect, as Lions stopper Tom Stevens produced a stunning save to his left, before getting up and saving the rebound, and finally pouncing on the ball to the relief of everyone in blue and white. At 18 years of age, Stevens has the world at his feet, or in his gloves, and has well and truly established himself as the Lions number 1, being the reason why the Lions have only conceded 4 goals in the last 360 minutes of play.
At 2-0 it was a pivotal moment in the game, and moments later John Tilbury made it 3-0, seizing on the ball inside the box, nicking it from the feet of Keegan Casey who was poised to shoot himself, before beating the Ickford keeper with the upmost of ease.
In the last 20 minutes, Ickford were a beaten side, and the Lions should be disappointed to have not hit double figures as the onslaught was relentless. Casey had pushed up as a third striker and eventually got the goal his performance deserved when, with 10 minutes to go, he sprung the offside trap and latched onto a perfectly weighted Scott Sharples through ball before rolling past the keeper to compound his misery for the morning.
Since his return from suspension a month ago, Keegan Casey has put in a series of head turning performances and combined with a change in attitude, has been one of, if not the most consistent player in these last few games.
The last few minutes were a series of Lions attacks, and had the final ball of been better, there would've and should've been more goals. Overall, the team deserved the win, and the confidence continues to grow as each week goes by. Long gone are the days of inter-squad criticism, and today the team is all about encouragement and support, and that creates a fantastic team spirit, that is currently at the highest it's ever been in the Lions camp, and as the gaffer always says,
"Team spirit and togetherness is worth a point every week!"
