The Season is upon us, far too quickly if I am honest as pre season went past us faster than Bale went past Maicon in Milan. However the results and performances were good.
We as a club are under no illusions how it will be a whole different ball game in the league this season.
The start of the season is an unconventional one as our first game is actually in the League Cup. I decided early that the cups are a decent source of much needed income so we were looking to field a full strength squad against League Two Cheltenham.
A spate of late injuries forced me to make changes and we went into the game with only one fully fit striker. We dominated the game and came away with a 1-0 win thanks to a goal from Dominic Gape. The score line flattered the lower league opposition and we are deservedly through to Round 2. Job Done.
A week of solid training for the squad and recovery for the injured parties lay ahead. We were about to embark on club history.
Our first Championship campaign began at home against fellow promoted side Rotherham. An riveting stale mate in front of an almost capacity Adams Park. 0-0 and neither team deserved any more than that.
The games keep coming thick and fast early in the season. This time a midweek trip to Bristol to face The Gas, Bristol Rovers in Round 2 of the League cup. There's a bit of a rivalry here as Wycombe and Bristol fought tooth and nail to stay in the football league in the 2013-2014 League 2 season. Wycombe staying up on goal difference on the final day at the expense of Rovers.
The returning Scott Kashket got the nod up front and duly grabbed the opportunity with both hands as he chalked up a hattrick within the first 15 minutes. Fred Onyedinma made it 4-0 by half time and the job was done, or so I thought.
I rung the changes in the second half to rest the legs and give match time to as many players as possible. This gave Rovers the incentive and they scored three late goals to really test my ticker right up to the 90th minute. However we held on and round 3 beckoned.
We were on the road again on the weekend with the impossible task of facing the once Premier League champions Blackburn on their own patch. A solid effort from the lads but we came up short, falling to a 2-0 defeat. This left us still searching for our first ever goal in the second tier of English football.
For the third game in a row we were on the road. This time to the south coast to face newly relegated Bournemouth. The squad was rotated again due to the short turn around and a first start was given to summer signing Uche Ikpeazu up front.
Just like the Bristol game, a change up top yielded a goal, as Ikpeazu scored within minutes of the kick off. A brace from on loan midfielder Harvey White sealed a un expected 3-2 victory and all of a sudden we were in the hat for the 4th round.
As the old saying goes "Home is where the heart is" and we were finally back at Adams Park, somewhere we needed to pick up points on a regular basis throughout the season if we stand any chance of survival.
We welcomed the visit of Swansea City and for the first time this season I named an unchanged team from the one victorious at Bournemouth.
Swansea took a deserved lead just before half time, but I felt we were well in the match and roused the lads up for a huge second half!
It was time for a history maker and up stepped Ikpeazu with the goal to draw us level. The rest of the game petered away with Swansea going down to 10 men late on. Anther point on the board and unbeaten at home.
Round 4 of the League cup up next, and a very short trip up the road to long time rivals Reading.
It was instantly a game to forget with barely any chances created and a bore draw. We go straight to penalties, a miss a piece send us to sudden death with Reading coming out eventual winners 12-11.
Some outstanding penalties including from both keepers which is a joy to see.
The League cup run has come to an end in the 4th Round. Now time to recover and fully focus on the league.
As it stands we are W-0 L-1 D-2 and we sit 19th in the table.
Long way to go and lots of improvement needed.
Thanks for reading and next we will have sole focus on the league through October and November.
SadPanda