THE INFLUENCE of Martin O’Neill would appear to have rubbed off on Paul Lambert, the new Wycombe Wanderers manager, as his team moved into third place after recording another deserved victory, against Chester City.
Not since 1994, when O’Neill was in charge at Adams Park, have the club gone four matches without conceding a goal, but Lambert has his players focused and determined to continue their fine start when they travel to Hereford United, the League Two newcomers, tomorrow.
They even had to contend with the early loss of Anthony Grant, the former Chelsea trainee, who was sent off in the 25th minute for a second booking during a niggly quarter of an hour, which saw three other players booked.
Lambert knows that the hard work is just beginning, but is pleased with the progress. “That was without doubt the best performance since I arrived at the club,” the man who won the Champions League with Borussia Dortmund in 1997 said. “The lads were excellent when you consider everything that happened to them. They showed great character. We defended very well and never gave Chester a shot at goal.
“I am delighted with the clean sheets and, if I can get a little bit of what O’Neill did here, I will be happy. He is the best manager I have ever played under and he is a legend here.”
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The only goal of a dour game came just after the sending-off, when Scott Golbourne, the left winger, crossed and Kevin Betsy rose unchallenged in the middle to head in from eight yards.
It was a lead that the home side never looked likely to relinquish, even when they were briefly down to nine men after Tommy Mooney had to leave the field with a cut to his face.
The best that the visiting side had to offer was a shot from Kevin Sandwith, the left back, that sailed wide and only the alertness of John Danby in the Chester goal that kept Jermaine Easter, Wycombe’s leading scorer, from increasing their lead.
Sam Stockley, who was signed during the summer from Colchester United, believes good times are ahead for Wycombe. “To keep a clean sheet in a game like that is as good as anything,” he said. “It’s another step towards where we are looking to go. We have a resilience throughout the team, a midfield that can create chances, which our front two can put away.
“When I arrived at the club I had a chat with the lads and we agreed we had to tighten up at the back. Last year they played fantastic attacking football, but conceded too many goals and so far the new approach seems to be working.”
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Wycombe Wanderers (3-5-2): R Batista — S Stockley, W Antwi, M Williamson — K Betsy, A Grant, S Oakes, S Torres, S Golbourne — J Easter (sub: J Dixon, 82min), T Mooney (sub: M Bloomfield, 44). Substitutes not used: J Young, V Fernandez, L Christian. Booked: Grant, Sent off: Grant. FORM WWWWLW NEXT Hereford United (a)
Chester City (3-5-2): J Danby — P Linwood, A Westwood, D Artell (sub: C Holroyd, 67) — S Vaughan, J Hand, R Martinez, L Wilson, K Sandwith — J Walters (sub: S Marples, 75), D Broughton (sub: G Blundell, 58). Substitutes not used: P Palethorpe, G Allen. Booked: Artell, Hand. FORM LLDLLW NEXT Notts County (h)