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Wycombe Wanderers
Championship | Gameweek 32
Feb 23, 2021 at 7.45pm UK
Adams Park
Reading logo

Wycombe
1 - 0
Reading

Onyedinma (49')
Knight (41'), McCleary (45+1')
Tafazolli (69')
FT(HT: 0-0)

Puscas (83'), McIntyre (84')

Gareth Ainsworth "cannot wait" for Norwich after Reading win

Royals boss Veljko Paunovic vowed to 'support' Lucas Joao after his third penalty miss of the season.

Wycombe manager Gareth Ainsworth was delighted with how his players kept their heads after being reduced to 10 men during their shock 1-0 victory over promotion-chasing Reading.

The Chairboys may be bottom of the Championship and eight points adrift of safety, but Fred Onyedinma's goal secured a vital result that came about despite them having Ryan Tafazolli sent off with 22 minutes still to play.

Ainsworth said: "Of course, you think it's going to be tough now, playing with 10 men against a Championship side – a top-five Championship side, never mind anything else.

"It was important that I kept my head straight in thinking about what I wanted to do.

"We went to a five at the back so I could keep the three in midfield because I felt that was where they were very strong.

"That just left us with one up top on his own and I thought Uche (Ikpeazu) was fantastic.

"It was a real team effort – I've got (Adebayo) Akinfenwa, who's not even in the squad and he's shouting louder than anyone around and that, for me, is Wycombe.

"That's what we are, we are together and whatever happens we'll be coming out swinging together every single game. I can't wait for Sunday (against Norwich) now."

Wycombe took the lead four minutes after the restart when Onyedinma nodded in from close range after Anthony Stewart had kept alive Josh Knight's sliced overhead kick.

Reading had the chance to level from the penalty spot when Andy Rinomhota was bundled over by Tafazolli, who was shown the red card, but Lucas Joao struck the top of the bar.

Ikpeazu then had a weak penalty saved by Rafael Cabral in the closing stages but the hosts managed to hold on regardless.

Reading boss Veljko Paunovic said: "I think we had some good situations and a lot of opportunities, other than the penalty, but I think we have to also acknowledge our opponents for stopping us from scoring goals.

"On the other side, we also have to acknowledge we have to work at being sharp with our finishing.

"Football is very emotional – we had guys crying in the changing room after the game because of the disappointment.

"We don't want to let them do that because we have to bounce back in the next game.

"We have 14 opportunities in front of us and the next one is the next game, very soon."

The penalty miss was Joao's third from seven attempts this season and Paunovic said: "I think we have to look at that situation but I think we have to support Lucas.

"He's very affected – the same as the rest of the team – and we will fix it. I'm not concerned, I'm just willing to fix it."

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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Wycombe WanderersWycombe14102232161632
2Birmingham CityBirmingham1493226151130
3Wrexham1584322111128
4Stockport CountyStockport167632617927
5Barnsley157532419526
6Lincoln CityLincoln157532117426
7Bolton WanderersBolton158252425-126
8Mansfield TownMansfield137332015524
9Huddersfield TownHuddersfield147252114723
10Exeter CityExeter147251410423
11Reading147252221123
12Peterborough UnitedPeterborough156363127421
13Charlton AthleticCharlton145451515019
14Stevenage165471116-519
15Bristol Rovers155371621-518
16Northampton TownNorthampton154561821-317
17Rotherham UnitedRotherham154561418-417
18Blackpool164572230-817
19Leyton Orient154381418-415
20Wigan AthleticWigan143561212014
21Crawley TownCrawley163491427-1313
22Cambridge UnitedCambridge143291324-1111
23Shrewsbury TownShrewsbury1632111629-1311
24Burton Albion141581525-108


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