Wycombe beat Aldershot 1-0 on Sunday.

Due to an unfortunate serious of injuries and illness, Wycombe travelled to Aldershot with a depleted squad of eleven on Sunday. With Wycombe striker Su Oakley sidelined with a back problem, Wycombe swapped their usual 4-5-1 formation for a more attacking 4-4-2 with Leah Asante and Louise Sloane-Khan leading the line.

Wycombe emerged looking a little nervous in the first 10 minutes and surrendering much of the possession to their hosts. The rest of the first half was a very closely contested affair with chances few and far between. Both sides played some excellent passing football but seemingly lacked the killer ball and end product of a goal. Wycombe’s back four led by Esther Morley have been in excellent form this season and continued in this game restricting Aldershot to a few long-range efforts. On the rare occasion that Aldershot did manage to break through the Wycombe defence, goalkeeper Katie Hudson was quick off her line to deny ‘the Shots’ any opportunity to take the lead. The run up to half time saw Wycombe’s central midfield pairing of Charlee Clarke and Kirsty Manning start to win the midfield battle and Wycombe went in at the break positive that they could take something from the game.

Wycombe came out attacking in the second half with some incisive passing matched by good forward play from Leah Asante. Jodie Taylor had an excellent game at left back making a number of creative runs and good passes. The breakthrough for Wycombe came in the 60^th minute when Sarah 'Twiggy' Davis turned her player on the left wing before curling a shot from 25-yards past the despairing keeper. It seemed that Wycombe were almost surprised to be ahead as they began to panic and afford Aldershot too much time on the ball, however, some resolute defending from Sophy Bowden and Heather Scutchings saw Wycombe through this torrid ten-minute spell. Wycombe held the ball and played some intelligent football in the closing 20 minutes, with Hannah Wilson putting in a superb performance showing both skill and endeavour on the right wing. Wycombe never really looked likely to surrender their hard won lead and held their nerve to pick up a valuable and well deserved 3 points. Wycombe face Launton at Dereham’s Lane on Sunday looking to reverse the 1-0 loss suffered early this season.

POM - Esther Morley!