Wycombe v Rotherham – Tough At The Top

I’m looking forward to going to Adams Park tomorrow for the clash between promotion chasing sides Wycombe in second place – five points behind Chesterfield - and third placed Rotherham.

Rotherham could leap-frog their hosts by one point if they win, whereas the Chairboys could put clear water between themselves and the chasing pack with a home win.

I’ve seen them both this season and been impressed. Neither club has a lot of money to throw around, but they both have solid managers and are focused on automatic promotion rather than the play-offs.

Wycombe have won five of their last six games and only slipped up to Crewe who put three goals past them without reply. But, hey, you’re going to lose sometime and it’s how you react that’s important. Wycombe followed up that defeat with another in the Cup to Hereford, but then went to Lincoln and picked up all three points last weekend.

Rotherham have taken only one point from their last two outings, but will be out for revenge after Wycombe edged a seven goal thriller at the Don Valley Stadium with a last gasp penalty from striker Scott Rendell.

The Miller’s own hot shot, Adam Le Fondre, scored two in that game and the transfer window closure can’t come too quickly as far as the Rotherham fans are concerned.

‘Alfie’ has scored 17 goals already this season and grabbed thirty in Rotherham’s march to the play-off final last season where they lost to Dagenham & Redbridge and it his a testament to manager Ronnie Moore’s managerial skills that the players didn’t sulk and look to be on a mission to get into League One.

Wycombe have shared the goals around the team so far this season with Rendell and veteran skipper Gareth Ainsworth on four, Andy Sandell on five and Kevin Betsy – who may be missing through injury tomorrow – on five. Manager Gary Waddock is looking forward to the game and said:

“They are a strong, powerful side and it will be a really tough game for us. The most important thing for us is not to think about what is at stake but to concentrate on putting on a performance that will help us win.”

While Moore seems to be singing from the same hymn sheet and said:

"I think it will be an open game, we're not a side that will go and put nine men behind the ball. We're going to go on the front foot and if we do that I think it will be wide open and we'll win the game."