Quakers sunk by late goal

FOR the second time this season Wycombe stunned Darlington with a late, late goal, and effectively ended any lingering hopes of reaching the play-offs in the process.

Chris Zebroski headed home in the third minute of injury time to cruelly deny Darlington.

They did not deserve to lose, just as they did not deserve to draw when Wycombe equalised in eighth minute of additional play in October.

Zebroski was sent-off that day, a dismissal later rescinded, and he gained his revenge in front of what was the lowest ever league crowd at The Northern Echo Darlington Arena, just 2,180.

Manager Dave Penney was left to rue Darlington’s defending in the build-up to the winning strike, scored from a corner.

He said: “That’s twice Wycombe have done us in injury time but we only had ourselves to blame.

“We should have been more professional and cleared the ball better before the corner.

“That was one of several wrong decisions we made that had me wondering what we were doing at times.

“We didn’t help ourselves by shooting from distance because that isn’t us. We weren’t on top of our game at all but we battled away and should’ve got something out of the game.”

The long shots came from Liam Hatch and Pawel Abbott in a first half that featured little to keep the paltry attendance interested.

Chances gradually began to come with Darlington’s Alan White blocking a powerful Lee Sawyer effort.

White had already been involved with John Akinde as he attempted to shepherd the ball out of play and the incident ended with the Wycombe striker slapping White but no action was taken by referee Scott Mathieson – in charge of his third game at the Arena this season.

He also took control of November’s win over Lincoln.

Hatch scored that day, but his first shot last night was a wild effort that sailed high into the stand.

Abbott then matched his strike-partner’s wayward accuracy by dragging an effort well wide.

His shot from distance appeared to be a short born out of frustration as both sides laboured.

But six minutes before the break came the opening.

Lee Sawyer produced a volley that keeper Przemyslaw Kazimierczak beat away with an impressive save, but from the corner that followed Darlington went 1-0 down.

They were unable to clear Craig Woodman’s delivery and Akinde found himself in yards of space to fire at Kazimierczak who could only palm the ball into the net.

Soon after the break Darlington showed their intentions with Burgmeier going close with a free-kick and Ian Miller had a weak header saved.

But the equaliser came on the hour with Jason Kennedy ending his scoring drought from close-range.

He had not netted since October, but the former Middlesbrough trainee tapped home, maybe from an offside position, after Burgmeier’s ball across the six-yard box.

After a sterile first half, the goal helped the game develop much-needed incident with Sawyer making himself the villain of the piece.

Referee Mathieson waved play on after a clear Sawyer foul, and play did not stop for so long that the referee let the Wycombe midfielder escape without punishment.

But Sawyer soon elbowed Kennedy and was booked and Peter Taylor rescued the midfielder from the red card he appeared destined for by immediately substituting him.

As he left the field Sawyer appeared to push Mathieson, a remarkable moment, almost as remarkable as the stunning Kazmierczak save that brought the crowd to its feet.

The 21-year-old Pole somehow beat away Matt Bloomfield’s close-range thundering volley, a feat which drew huge applause that Penney joined in with.

It was not the last time Kazimierczak was involved as Wycombe piled forward with John Mousinho seeing a shot deflected narrowly wide and Bloomfield stumbled as he lined up a shot close to goal.

But the sickening winner came 30 seconds from the end of three minutes of injury time with Zebroski rising highest to head home direct from Woodman’s corner.

Matchfacts

Goals: Akinde (39mins, 0- 1); Kennedy (60, 1-1); Zebroski (90, 1-2)
Bookings: Akinds (59mins, foul), Sawyer (69, foul), Hatch (78, foul)
Referee: Scott Mathieson (Stockport) 6
Attendance: 2,180
Entertainment: ✰✰✰
DARLINGTON (4-4-2): Kazimierczak 7; Purdie 6, White 6, Miller 5, RYAN 7; Carlton 7, Ravenhill 5, Kennedy 6, Burgmeier 6 (Poole 90); Abbott 6 (Main 89), Hatch 5. Subs (not used): Pocklington, Fortune, Griffin
WYCOMBE (4-3-3): Young 6; Hunt 6, McCracken 6, Sinclair 6, Woodman 7; Sawyer 5 (Mousinho 69, 6), Holt 7, BLOOMFIELD 7, Zebroski 7, Pittman 5 (Phillips 68, 6), Akinde 6 (Harrold 68, 5). Subs (not used): Jones, Oliver
MAN OF THE MATCH TIM Ryan – showed a battling spirit missing in some of his team-mates.