Wycombe V Preston

It was nice to see Wycombe back up my words from this blog and show they have some quality by doing the business against Sheffield United on Saturday.

While I have never said that the Chairboys are ‘bankers’ for promotion to the Championship, Gary Waddock has put together a side that is more than capable of staying in League One this season and I felt that they were a match for any other team in the division on their day. They just needed to believe in themselves and after beating the Blades, this will hopefully be the case.

Stuart Beavon got off the mark for the season in the league with the winner on Saturday, although he has already scored a goal in the League Cup and a hat trick in the JP Trophy and so it can't be said he's forgotten where the net is.

Meanwhile Waddock has signed experienced midfielder Martin Rowlands from QPR on a three month loan deal. Rowlands returns to the club where he started off as a youth team player before being bombed out and going on the play for Farnborough, Brentford and then QPR where he made nearly 200 appearances. I guess that if any kid finds himself being rejected by a professional club, they need look no further than Rowlands to realise that there's still a chance if you work hard enough.

Rowlands has also chalked up five caps for the Republic of Ireland playing in a World Cup game against Italy.
Tonight’s game against Preston will be another stern test though given that the visitors have won SIX games on the bounce. But all good things must come to an end and so Wycombe will be hoping they are the ones to bring North End back down to earth with a bump.

Neil Mellor seems to be the main threat and has scored six times this season already. He’s a decent and experienced pro who I saw several times last season playing for Sheffield Wednesday on loan and will present a real test for the Wycombe defence.

Co-striker Iain Hume has weighed in with three goals himself and midfielders Barry Nicholson and Jamie Proctor have also grabbed a pair each - and so the Preston team are by no means a one trick pony.

Midfielder Steven Smith is set to replace Paul Parry, who serves a one-match suspension after being sent-off in Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Tranmere.
Manager Phil Brown also has a point to prove following his dismissal from Hull in March 2010. He took the Tigers to the promised land of the Premier League and will want to add another promotion to his CV as soon as possible so he can get his name in the frame for a job back in the top flight.