A second goal in as many games for Kevin McDonald secured City a point on the road, after an early goal from Wycombe’s Chem Campbell opened the scoring.
A brilliant performance from City secured a 1-1 draw at Adams Park. A shaky start saw Wycombe take the lead inside two minutes, but City didn’t put their heads down. A strong defensive performance for the rest of the game and a tap in finish from McDonald in the second half made sure the Grecians went home with a point intact.
After last weekend’s impressive 2-0 win over Cambridge at home, Gary made only one change. After serving his suspension picked up the week before, Rekeem Harper was back in the starting XI replacing Jay Stansfield.
Inside the opening two minutes of the game, the home side took the lead. After City had a blocked shot down the other end, Wycombe hit them on the counterattack and after a defence mishap, Chem Campbell was able to slot home for 1-0.
City didn’t put their heads down and went straight down the other end. Linking up on the right-hand side was Harper and Harry Kite, with the latter drilling the ball across the six-yard box but Demetri Mitchell at the back post was unable to find the target.
With the game reaching the 15-minute mark, it was City still the team very much on top even being a goal down. After losing possession in the centre of the park, Collins was able to win it back and after breaking into space fed the ball through to Nombe, but an on-rushing Max Stryjek made an excellent save to keep City out.
After all the pressure from City, Wycombe almost found a second after 22 minutes. A foul on Joe Jacobson from Harper, gave Lewis Wing the opportunity to send in a set piece, but his brilliant delivery sailed over everyone in the box and behind for a goalkick.
The Chairboys next attack again almost found the back of the net, but the post came to Gary Woods rescue. A mistake at the back allowed McCleary too much space in the City penalty area but his driven shot rebounded off the post and into the feet of Kite who cleared it away. With almost 30 on the clock Wycombe were starting to get a foot into the game.
A mesmerising run through the middle of the pitch from Mitchell as the first half was nearing its end, ended with the marauding wing back upended, much to the disgust of the home fans. From the resulting free kick, Key went down under pressure in the box, but no foul according to the referee, instead the ball made its way to Mitchell whose delivery into the box found Harper leaping like a salmon, but he leapt to high with the ball sailing over the bar.
As the 45th minute hit, Wycombe should have made it 2-0, but Sam Vokes strike from a McCleary cross bobbled at the wrong moment and the experience forward sent the ball over the bar, big let off for City.
Straight from the off in the second half City went on the attack, a well worked pass from Hartridge found Collins on the left-hand side and after a one two with Kite, Collins sent a curling effort towards the Wycombe goal, but the ball went just wide of the far post.
With the game opening up in the second half, City found themselves on the attack and with Collins on the ball, he saw Harper unmarked at the back post, but City’s number six took too long on the ball and was crowded out by Wycombe defenders.
As the game ticked past the 60th minute mark, Gary clearly wanted something to change in an attacking sense so looked to his bench and called upon Stansfield, who replaced Harper. The same stoppage saw Matt Bloomfield made his first change with McCleary going down with a knock he was replaced by Brandon Hanlan.
The change in personnel worked wonders for City, as their next attack amounted in a goal. A wonderful pass from Collins found Nombe on the right-hand side and as he looked across the box there was none other than McDonald, who from six yards out couldn’t miss, sending City fans into delirium. A second goal in as many games from the magnificent Scotsman.
With City fans still celebrating the equaliser, Wycombe’s Sam Vokes almost scored a goal of the season contender, a mix up from Hartridge and Aimson allowed Vokes a free run-on goal. With time to flick the ball over both defenders once they caught him, he sent the ball goalward, but the same as the first half he scuffed his effort, and it went wide of the post.
A switch had been turned on here in favour of City and it happened as soon as Stansfield entered play. The midfield and attack seemed to be on the same wavelength at every attempt, this time it was Stansfield and Collins linking up, but as the latter got the ball stuck under their feet, it fell to Mitchell on the edge, but his effort went wide of the mark.
As the game was nearing its end, Nombe flicked a header goalward, but his effort was tipped over the ball by Stryjek, well what most deemed save, but the referee awarded a goal kick much to the frustration of the City players.
This time City get a corner, with the game in added time, Nombe picks up the ball and runs like a tank through the Wycombe defence, but his effort is expertly blocked and behind for a corner. However, the corner only found the hands of Stryjek who sent the Chairboys on their own attack but a fantastic block from Mitchell stopped Wycombe getting what would have been an almost certain winner.
And that was that, City go back to Devon with a well-earned point after a fantastic performance on the road.
The next game for City is back at SJP with Lincoln the visitors on Saturday, March 11. Hope to see another packed out home crowd. Click here for tickets.
Wycombe Wanderers: Stryjek, Grimmer, Jacobson ©,Forino, Wheeler, Vokes, Wing, McCleary (Hanlan), McCarthy, Campbell, Scowen
Subs not used: Cartwright, Young, Wakely, Freeman, De Barr, Pattenden
City: Woods, Key, Sweeney, Aimson ©, Hartridge, Mitchell, Kite (White), McDonald, Collins, Harper (Stansfield), Nombe
Subs not used: Blackman, Grounds, Caprice, Chauke, Scott
Referee: Tom Nield
Attendance: 7082 (617 away)