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Wycombe Wanderers 1-2 Wednesday

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Goals from Jose Semedo and Ryan Lowe ensured Wednesday got back to winning ways on the road with a 2-1 victory at struggling Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday.

Both players grabbed their first competitive goals for the club, with Lowe netting after replacing the suspended Gary Madine in attack, to sandwich a Jordan Ibe effort as all the goals came in the first half.

The dismissal of experienced midfielder Gareth Ainsworth in the second half made life a little bit easier for Wednesday in the closing stages as the Owls bounced back from a midweek defeat Carlisle United.

Despite that Cumbrian setback, Owls boss Gary Megson made just two changes to his starting eleven, one being forced in the shape of Lowe replacing Madine. Mark Reynolds, out in the cold of late, came in at left-back for Julian Bennett, with Reda Johnson sidelined through injury.

And Wednesday made an encouraging start to the match, even having a shout for a penalty waved away by the officials after Ben Marshall’s strike appeared to hit the hands of Grant Basey.

Chris Lines was the first man to test Wanderers goalkeeper Nikki Bull, who comfortably dealt with the midfielder’s effort. But the same man forced Bull into a finger-tip save minutes later as a mini-battle began between the duo.

Wednesday were pushing hard for the breakthrough and after Lowe saw an effort well saved by the busy Wycombe stopper it came after 23 minutes. Lowe’s shot hit the woodwork and bounced out to Semedo, who neatly struck the rebound into the back of the net.

The Owls could only hang on to that lead for six minutes though as Gary Waddock’s men hit back. Ibe became the club’s youngest-ever scorer at 15-years-old when he showed a burst of pace in the middle of the park before unleashing a powerful effort which beat Stephen Bywater, the Owls goalkeeper, and found its way into the back of the net.

Unlike in Carlisle on Tuesday night, Wednesday heads didn’t drop and instead they turned their focus to regaining the lead in double-quick time. And it wasn’t long in coming.

This time Semedo turned goalscorer to provider when he produced a pin-point cross to find an unmarked Lowe, who couldn’t fail to direct his header into the back of the net.

Things could have got better for the visitors before half-time but the officials again waved away claims for a penalty after Lewis Buxton appeared to be felled inside the box.

Half-Time: Wycombe 1-2 Wednesday

The Owls had their hosts just where they wanted them at the interval, but after leading by just a goal in midweek they’ll have been keen to add another to put some distance between them and Wanderers.

The officials were again playing a central role when they disallowed a Wednesday effort minutes into the second half. As in the first half, Megson’s men started brightly and O’Grady nodded a Marshall cross into the back of the net only to be deemed offside.

Wednesday were in control but they just couldn’t find a third goal to all-but seal the points. Marshall smacked the crossbar with a free-kick and then skipper Rob Jones, searching for his third goal in as many games, headed just over from the resulting corner kick.

And they knew with just one goal in it, Wanderers could hit back at any time and Ibe proved the threat was still there when he drilled over from the edge of the box.

But Wycombe’s task was made even tougher with 15 minutes to go when Ainsworth received his marching orders for a second bookable offence, a lunge on Owls defender Danny Batth.

The dismissal saw Wycombe’s thread recede, and Wednesday could have added another with Marshall and Jones again coming close late on.

The Owls hung on to their lead in relatively comfortable fashion though to pick up a much-needed three points on the road and keep the pressure on npower League One’s leading two.

Full-Time: Wycombe 1-2 Wednesday

Wycombe: Bull, Foster (Grant 80), Basey, Tunnicliffe, Winfield, Ainsworth, Rowlands, Lewis, Harris, Ibe, Beavon. Substitutes: Johnson, Bloomfield, Strevens, McCoy.

Wednesday: Bywater, Buxton, Batth, Jones (Bennett 90), Reynolds, Marshall, Semedo, Lines, O’Connor, O’Grady, Lowe (Morrison 76). Substitutes: O’Donnell, J Johnson, Palmer.

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