Match ends, Wycombe Wanderers 1, Walsall 0.
WycombeWycombe Wanderers1WalsallWalsall0
A sublime free-kick from Jason McCarthy earned Wycombe a vital three points in their survival bid and nudged his old club Walsall towards the drop.
McCarthy got the ball up and down from just outside the box to score the only goal of the match just before the hour mark.
Victory moves Wycombe four points above the relegation zone, with Walsall four adrift of safety with two games remaining.
The best chance of a goalless first half fell to Wycombe's Adebayo Akinfenwa, who controlled with his chest and outmuscled three defenders only to shoot straight at Walsall keeper Chris Dunn.
With the tension beginning to mount, Wycombe were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the area after Akinfenwa was brought down and McCarthy's strike left Dunn motionless.
Walsall threw on all three substitutes but even six minutes of stoppage time was not enough for them to come back as Wycombe held on for the victory.
Match report supplied by the Press Association.
Line-ups
Wycombe
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Allsop
- 26McCarthy
- 2Coelho Jombati
- 6El-Abd
- 16Harriman
- 18Thompson
- 4GapeSubstituted forBloomfieldat 61'minutesBooked at 70mins
- 22FreemanSubstituted forTysonat 60'minutes
- 11KashketSubstituted forCowan-Hallat 85'minutes
- 20Akinfenwa
- 25Samuel
Substitutes
- 3Jacobson
- 5Stewart
- 8Bean
- 10Bloomfield
- 12Cowan-Hall
- 23Tyson
- 30Ma-Kalambay
Walsall
Formation 4-4-2
- 13Dunn
- 6Devlin
- 20JohnsonBooked at 13mins
- 35Scarr
- 34LairdBooked at 90mins
- 28NormanSubstituted forIsmailat 70'minutes
- 2Edwards
- 30Osbourne
- 3LeahySubstituted forBlackett-Taylorat 73'minutes
- 29Gordon
- 36OtehSubstituted forCookat 62'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Roberts
- 4Dobson
- 5Guthrie
- 9Cook
- 10Ismail
- 15Kinsella
- 38Blackett-Taylor
- Referee:
- Charles Breakspear
- Attendance:
- 5,595
Match Stats
Home TeamWycombeAway TeamWalsall
- Possession
- Home48%
- Away52%
- Shots
- Home6
- Away6
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away2
- Corners
- Home2
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home14
- Away16
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Wycombe Wanderers 1, Walsall 0.
Booking
Scott Laird (Walsall) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Alex Samuel (Wycombe Wanderers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Scott Laird (Walsall).
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Corner, Wycombe Wanderers. Conceded by Connor Johnson.
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Adam El-Abd (Wycombe Wanderers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Dan Scarr (Walsall).
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Hand ball by Andy Cook (Walsall).
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Foul by Paris Cowan-Hall (Wycombe Wanderers).
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Connor Johnson (Walsall) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Matt Bloomfield (Wycombe Wanderers).
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Joe Edwards (Walsall) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution
Substitution, Wycombe Wanderers. Paris Cowan-Hall replaces Scott Kashket.
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Curtis Thompson (Wycombe Wanderers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Corey Taylor (Walsall).
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Scott Kashket (Wycombe Wanderers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Corey Taylor (Walsall).
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Corner, Walsall. Conceded by Jason McCarthy.
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Attempt blocked. Josh Gordon (Walsall) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
