Derby County’s hopes of winning automatic promotion are now out of their hands after a disappointing draw at Adams Park.
The Rams were in action for the first time in eight days, this fixture having been postponed due to Wycombe facing Peterborough United in the final Bristol Street Motors Trophy three days ago.
Paul Warne made just a single change from the side that drew away to Portsmouth, and unfortunately for the Rams, it was the man who scored both goals that night, Joe Ward, who missed out with a knee injury. Conor Washington started in place of the right-sider, partnering James Collins up top, whilst skipper Nathaniel Mendez-Laing would play on the right wing.
Matt Bloomfield made four changes to his Wycombe side as they looked to bounce back from their late defeat at Wembley, with goalkeeper Franco Ravizzoli, centre backs Ryan Tafazolli and Joe Low, and Wembley goal-scorer Dale Taylor coming into the side.
Derby started the better of the two teams and had a huge chance in the seventh minute. After pressing to regain possession, Conor Washington rushed down the inside right channel and into the box. The Northern Ireland international got his head up and squared the ball for Corey Blackett-Taylor. From a position in which it looked easier to score, he prodded it wide of the gaping goal.
Wycombe slowly built into the game, having caused some problems from a couple of corners before Derby had another good chance. Louie Sibley whipped a low ball into James Collins who took a touch to tee up Conor Washington. He did the same before seeing his shot blocked and behind for a corner.
Wycombe then went on the attack, and had two chances in four minutes through striker Richard Kone, who was playing for Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) in the homeless World Cup less than five years ago.
First, Kone showed good feet to beat Korey Smith and carve out a chance just inside the box, but he failed to keep the shot down. He then shot straight at Joe Wildsmith from 20 yards, having turned back into pressure.
Derby had a third attempt on goal five minutes before the break. Smith threaded the ball through to Mendez-Laing in the inside right channel with a perfect pass from inside his own half, but the Guatemalan international blazed his shot over the bar and is now ten games without a goal.
Wycombe may have had more shots in the first half, with five compared to Derby’s three, but the Rams had seen three good chances go begging, in a first half that they edged overall.
Wycombe would have the opening effort of the second period in the 49th minute, Kieran Sadlier laying the ball off for West Ham loanee Freddie Potts, who couldn’t hit the target from 25 yards.
Mendez-Laing’s shot from the edge of the box would suffer the same fate a couple of minutes later. After a switch of play from Eiran Cashin, the winger cut inside Nigel Longwijk and hit a curling effort just over the bar.
Sadlier would fire off target himself in the 59th minute, blasting a free kick in a central area from just under 30 yards out over the bar after Collins fouled Kone.
Chairboys’ substitute Kodua had a good chance on the counter from a Derby free kick. After the ball was launched up to him by Ravizolli, Kodua beat four players before forcing Joe Wildsmith into an excellent save.
With ten minutes to play, Paul Warne rolled the dice as he made a triple substitution, but ultimately his side would leave Adams Park with a single point.
Analysis: After the Lord Mayor’s Show.
Following the 2-2 draw at league leaders Portsmouth in front of the Sky TV cameras eight days ago, this game was a relative dud in terms of quality on display from the Rams.
After a game in which the team left everything on the pitch, they tonight looked out of ideas at times, failing to test Ravizzoli in the Wycombe net. Of course, had Corey Blackett-Taylor have scored when in a position from where it looked harder to miss in the seventh minute, it could have been a different game. The same could be said for Washington, or Mendez-Laing, but a side gunning for promotion must be able to recover from early misses.
The Rams have so often been a threat from set pieces this season, but that was far from the case against Wycombe. In fact, both from dead ball situations, and from open play, they missed the quality of delivery that Joe Ward has brought to the side, particularly of late.
After what was a decent first half for Derby, bar the finishing, their attacking play in the second left a lot to be desired, lacking fluidity and cohesion.
In Derby’s best performances their full backs or wing backs have been a key outlet, driving the side up the pitch, whilst working hard to remain defensively solid. As was the case for Louie Sibley at Northampton a few weeks ago, both he and Kane Wilson struggled to influence the game. Whilst the introduction of Conor Hourihane on the hour mark, and the switch to a 4-3-3 helped open space for Sibley - and more so Wilson - to drive into, this was nullified once more in the closing stages.
Paul Warne told BBC Radio Derby in his post-match interview, that the game “was frustrating,” and that “it might end up being a really good point.”
Every point counts, and it could be the difference, but so could the two points dropped tonight. Bolton are just two points behind Derby with a game in hand, whilst Peterborough are six points behind the Rams with two games in hand. Both sides face tough games this weekend, on paper at least, with Peterborough travelling to playoff-hopefuls Oxford United, and Bolton hosting Portsmouth, who can seal the title with a win after Derby’s result tonight. In what could be a crucial fixture on the final day, Peterborough host Bolton. The Rams will now have to hope that the Trotters drop points somewhere along the way, and that they can at least match Posh’s results.
Wycombe (4-2-3-1): Ravizzoli (GK), Grimmer (C), Low, Tafazolli, Lonwijk, Potts (Scowen 69’), Butcher, Lubala, Taylor (Leahy 86’), Sadlier (Kodua 69’), Kone (Vokes 86’).
Substitutes not used: Stryjek (GK), Campbell, McCarthy.
Derby (4-4-2): Wildsmith (GK), Wilson, Nelson, Cashin, Sibley, Mendez-Laing (C), Smith (Thompson 78’), Adams, Blackett-Taylor (Hourihane 60’), Washington (Barkhuizen 78’), Collins (Waghorn 78’).
Substitutes not used: Vickers (GK), Fornah, D. Robinson.
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