12th March 2000     

Chairboys reports

Wycombe and Oldham fought out an entertaining goalless draw at Adams Park on Saturday afternoon under resplendent Spring sunshine. Andy Ritchie may feel that on the balance of play his side perhaps ought to have won the game.  Wycombe, without top scorer Sean Devine, started the match the better with Jermaine McSporran shooting just wide inside the first minute. Wanderers continued to press forward but the Latics defence held firm and Andy Ritchie's men, after riding the initial storm, gradually began to assert themselves in the contest. John Sheridan seemed to be operating a shoot on sight policy and peppered the Wycombe goal with long shots, one of which forced a great one handed save from Taylor. Craig Dudley, meanwhile, came close on the stroke of half time with an audacious over head flick that was just too high.  The first half was, on balance, an even contest with McSporran perhaps the biggest thorn in Oldham's side. His pace constantly caused problems for the Latics defence and besides his early chance he manufactured a couple of other attempts at goal.  Oldham had the better of the second half but were unable to find the all important goal. Steve Whitehall shot just over shortly after the resumption of play, whilst his header from a Paul Rickers cross was well saved by Martin Taylor. Towards the end `Matthew Jones shot just wide. In short it was one of those afternoons for the Latics. Wycombe might actually have won the game when McSporran drifted past three defender's only to shoot tamely towards the end. The Latics season started awfully and since then has been inconsistent at best. Ritchie, though, can take many positives from Saturday's game even if his side couldn't quite wrap up the points. 

Sports.com

A severely depleted Wycombe squad gained a well earned point at home and gave the Latics their first goalless draw away from home this season. Without such stalwarts as Devine, Baird, McCarthy, Bates and Ryan much of the home side's responsibilities fell to young players such as Lee Holsgrove, Maurice Harkin and debutant Richard Thompson. Jermaine McSporran always looked dangerous and went close to scoring after an 80th minute run from the halfway line but fired his shot wide of the target. Ten minutes earlier Oldham's Gary Kelly was forced into a fine diving save, but this time from his own defender as a powerful back header troubled his back-pedalling keeper. Martin Taylor was tested just after the hour as a fine Craig Dudley cross was headed on by Steve Whitehall but the Chairboys keeper was equal to it.

Former Notts County man Dudley showed off his skills just before half time, juggling the ball before lobbing over his head from five yards. Home keeper Taylor, formerly of Derby County, was at full stretch to watch the ball over the bar and on to the roof of the net. Maurice Harkin, making only his second league start of the season for the Blues, had previously gone close on the half-hour. His mazy dribble on the edge of the box allowed him time and space to shoot but his swerving drive was beaten away at the near post by Kelly. Seconds earlier McSporran provided the most entertaining move of the game. With the ball on the halfway line and running at the defence, his lightning pace allowed him to hit the ball a full 40 yards down field, before streaking past his marker on the wing to collect it. His breathtaking run was ended abruptly in the area by David McNiven, as he dived in, in an attempt to clear. His challenge missed the ball and appeared to catch McSporran, but well-positioned referee, Dermot Gallagher gave a goal kick. John Sheridan had the only other notable chance of the first half, after picking up a pass from captain Lee Duxbury on the edge of the box. Sheridan's low drive brought a superb low diving save out of Taylor to deny the visitors the lead.

Further up the table, it was a good day for second-placed Preston, who halved the four-point advantage leaders Bristol Rovers held prior to kick-off.

Brett Angell, on loan from Stockport, got the only goal of the game at Bournemouth three minutes into the second half as David Moyes' men took advantage of Bristol Rovers' 0-0 draw at Bury.

Third-placed Millwall maintained their recent impressive run, Tim Cahill's first-half double giving them victory at Luton.

Wigan - 5-1 conquerors of Blackpool in midweek - could only manage a 1-1 draw at bottom club Chesterfield.

Stephen Payne's 10th-minute goal gave the Spireites the edge, and Wigan had Scott Green sent off for violent conduct before on-loan Terry Cooke earned the visitors a point seven minutes from time.

Sixth-placed Stoke were held to a goalless draw by Notts County _ the team immediately below them in the table _ while Gillingham capitalised at mid-table Bristol City, Andy Hessenthaler's 78th-minute goal proving decisive.

At the other end, 21st-placed Blackpool squandered a 2-0 advantage at home to next-to-bottom Cardiff. Wayne Gill and John Hills (penalty) gave Steve McMahon's Tangerines a 2-0 advantage - but Kevin Nugent (penalty) and Jason Bowen cancelled it out by half-time, and that was how it stayed.

Oxford picked up three important points at Colchester _ Ross Wetherstone (22) and Phil Whelan (90) scoring either side of Aaron Skelton's 63rd-minute marker for Colchester.

Cambridge moved to within a point of Scunthorpe courtesy of their second 3-0 win of the week.

John Taylor gave Cambridge a 15th-minute lead at Glanford Park, Tom Youngs - who netted twice in the midweek defeat of Bristol City - got the second after 63 minutes and Trevor Benjamin wrapped it up seven minutes from time.

In the other two games, Adrian Williams (80) gave Reading victory over Brentford, while mid-table rivals Wycombe and Oldham could not produce a goal between them at Adams Park.