Sunday 7 December 2008

Now we can see Wycombe's true colours

Aldershot Town ended Wycombe Wanderers 18-match unbeaten run as they beat the League 2 leaders 3-2 at the Recreation Ground.

Two goals from Kirk Hudson and Daniel Hylton's strike ensured the victory while Peter Taylor's men replied through Angelo Balenta and a late Matty Phillips effort.

It's Wycombe's first league defeat of the season and adds to a disappointing week for the Buckinghamshire men as they were on the end of an FA Cup giant-killing last weekend after being knocked out by Eastwood Town of the Unibond League.

These two defeats have shown that this Wycombe side aren't invicible as they now try to re-vive there promotion push, but how much will these two defeats really affect Peter Taylor's side?

Well it's important to consider there opponents yesterday, Aldershot Town. The newly promoted side were protecting there own unbeaten home record, so they are no-slouches in League Two.

Looking at the squad assembled from last season it's not bad either, and you can't argue with the form they have shown.

Loosing Sergio Torres to Peterborough was just a small blip during the summer as they recruited pacey Chris Zebroski from Millwall, a swap that has paid off with Zebroski already scoring six league goals.

Wycombe have already scored half as many goals as they did in the entire of last season in their first 19 league games, with 11 different scorers throughout the team.

However it's there defence that has been the shining light, and with just eleven league goals conceded, you can see why yesterday's three goal salvo would have shocked the away side.

Craig Woodman and Mike Williamson have been awesome at the back, and the focal point of Wycombe's amazing start to the season.

However even with this talented set of players it takes a discipline manager to bring it all together, and in Peter Taylor Wanderers certainly have that.

Taylor's 22 year managerial career has been littered with success and failure along the way but it's certainly the lower leagues that he seem best at home.

His first lower league success came with Brighton and Hove Albion as he won promotion from the old Division Two.

He went on to kick start Hull City's foray up the football league pyramid and their transition into the side they are today.

They had just moved into the current home at the KC Stadium and within a year of taking over Taylor won them promotion into what was then Division 2.

The following season Taylor took them into Division One after finishing second in 2004/05 season.

However Hull were a victim of their own success as Taylor was recruited by Crystal Palace after taking Hull to 18th in the Championship.

Short stays at Palace and then non-league Stevenage Borough followed while taking the England managers job for one game in 2001 against Italy.

Taylor has the common theme of spending plenty of money with littered success, and Wycombe hope that he can step off where Paul Lambert left off after last seasons top half finish.

The potential for this sort of run was there, it has just taken a quality name like Taylor to take them to the next level and what seems like now possible promotion.

This first defeat will let us all know what this side are about, yes but they have all the foundations to go on another 18-game run and consolidate there six point lead over their promotion rivals.

With a talented squad at his disposal Taylor looks odds on to add to his four promotions and continue his lower league legacy.

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