But Ainsworth isn’t in it purely for himself. On Saturday evening it was difficult to get him talking about anything other than how proud he was of the team and - to quote full back Danny Foster who was mobbed after teeing up Ainsworth’s winner – you “can feel the love” at Adams Park.
My clipping from this morning's copy of The Sun
When you combine this team spirit with the solid workman-like performance they put in against promotion chasing Rotherham, you have possible Champions in the making.
Rotherham weren’t that far off the pace themselves, but will need cooler heads than that of Jason Taylor who booted Kevin Betsy up in the air as the winger ran down the clock by the corner flag in injury time. Taylor had already been booked in the game and received a straight red for his assault on Betsy.*
You could also see the frustration on Adam Le Fondre’s face when he stormed of to the dugout after being replaced in the 83rd minute. Le Fondre has now only scored once in eight games and obviously wants every minute of every game to give his luck a chance of changing. It will. Alfie is too good a poacher for this dry run to continue for too long.
But Saturday was all about Wycombe.
In the first half they dominated and hardly gave the visitors a sniff. When the impressive Andy Sandell was taken off injured in the 24th minute, I wondered whether his replacement Foster might be exposed by Rotherham. I’d never seen Foster play before and so had nothing to base this fear on, but it was totally unfounded.
With his first kick of the game he floated an exquisite cross to the far post and Ainsworth leaped to nod in his sixth of the campaign before running over with the rest of the players to congratulate his 26 year old team-mate.
Rotherham came back into the game in the second half, but the home side stood firm and even striker Ben Strevens managed to nod one attempt clear from under the bar.
But the Yorkshiremen must have known it wasn’t going to be their day in the 68th minute when striker Ryan Taylor jumped for a header 6 yards out and directed downwards to wrong foot keeper Nikki Bull. Bull then somehow managed to change direction as the ball flew back up towards the back of the net and tip the ball onto the bar.
I t was some save and people were rightly comparing it to the Gordon Banks save for England against Pele and Brazil in the 1970 World Cup. For me Banks edges that one as – with the best will in the world – Ryan Taylor is no Pele, but it was still one hell of a save and the best I have seen live at this level in seventeen years of reporting.
Wycombe manager Gary Waddock refused to get carried away with the win and said:
“It is the points total at the end that counts. It doesn't count now. We have got a great result today and a fantastic three points. Nothing more.
The performance was very good. They showed a bit of everything today. In the first-half we passed it around and in the second-half we stood up to everything they threw at us.
They are a big strong side and stood up to physical side so we are delighted. We can look after ourselves if the game goes that way.
It is a strong, hard and physical division and we showed we can stand up to that today."
Millers boss Ronnie Moore was forced to discuss Le Fondre and said:
He wasn't happy but I don't expect him to come off and jump all over me. It showed disrespect to players and to the decision I've made.
Nobody has a divine right to stay on. We were chasing a goal but the way he was playing, he wasn't going to score. I put on Tom Pope for a big more height, strength and a bit more willingness."
* Having see the BBC coverage here (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/9371263.stm) I realise I made a mistake and it was in fact Ben Strevens who took the kicking from Taylor. Betsy is nowhere to be seen in fact! I should have stuck to my guns as I had Strevens as the victim in my notes, but was persuaded it was Betsy by several people (including one manager) in the press room. The Press Box at Adams Park is poorly positioned when it comes to that corner of the ground, but it's still no real excuse for not following my gut instinct though. I'm waiting to join Jason Taylor on a three game ban for that one :-)
Song artist: Adney Park
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