Heartbreak In Buckinghamshire As City Washed Out: Wycombe Wanderers 3-2 Imps

November 22, 2025 Gary Lincoln City, Matches, Reports 0

Credit Graham Burrell

City fell to an agonising defeat at Adams Park, in a game of two halves.

Despite coming back from 2-0 down, Michael Skubala’s men were beaten 3-2 in a thrilling encounter. There were plenty of talking points, not least two disallowed goals and a big diving call from referee Ollie Langford.

City made one change to the side which beat Doncaster Rovers 2-1 last weekend, with Ben House reclaiming his place in the first team in place of Freddie Draper. Jack Moylan returned to the bench, as did Ivan Varfolomeev and Reeco Hackett, with Erik Ring, Dom Jefferies and Adam Jackson the ones missing out.

The rain lashed down all half, and sadly for the Imps, it rained goals as well, despite a half-decent display. Wycombe looked organised and efficient, as you would expect from a Michael Duff side, but the early exchanges did not hint at anything for us to worry about.

The first real chance of the game came our way, with a tasty Reach cross just evading the onrushing Collins. Our leading scorer was perhaps a second too late, but it was one of nine crosses we delivered that were not met by a boot or a head, something perhaps to worry the manager in the coming weeks.

Luke Leahy was a lucky man on nine minutes, as he was late, studs showing on Ben House. Another official might have flashed a red, but after play continued, Langford pulled out a yellow card. VAR would probably see the player sent off, but nobody wants to see VAR at this level.

On 15 minutes, after a favourable Imps start, the hosts took the lead and it was frustrating. Rob Street seemed to let the ball run out of play, only for Wycombe to keep it in and deliver a teasing cross. Sam Bell reacted first to stab home from a tight angle, going through the legs of Wickens.

It came against the run of play, and led to City losing shape for a short period. On 24 minutes, Collins tried a long range drive which skidded off the surface and well wide, signalling us regaining a little composure. The issue was penetration, too often we got in good positions only to end up back at the feet of Wickens.

Wycombe had their chances as well, albeit half chances. Mullins stung Wickens’ palms from distance, while Bell got the better of Darikwa on the right, only to shoot straight at Wickens. The difference between the two sides was that pace, they broke quickly when given the chance, but sat deep when we had possession, asking us to break them down.

Lacking width, City needed to create through the middle and on 33 minutes we did that. A lovely spell of passing saw Hamer spring forward, with the ball ending up at Collins’ feet. He wriggled a shot off, but a pass to House was by far the better option. The ball fell kindly to McGrandles, who shot straight at Norris for our only shot on target of the first period.

After that, we could not get into a rhythm. Rob Street had a tough 45 on the right, while Frankie Okoronkwo did not get into the game either. With half time approaching, and 1-0 probably fair on the balance of chances, Wycombe switched the narrative further with another break.

There were a few who might have done better, McGrandles could have brought Mullins down before the pass, and then Bradley was done for pace and Reach too far wide to catch Bell, who gleefully picked up the pass and lifted the ball over Wickens for 2-0. It was perhaps harsh in terms of the margin, but it would be hard to argue the Chairboys were not value for their lead.

The second half was completely different, credit mainly to the Imps bringing off Street and Okoronkwo, and bringing on Jack Moylan and Reeco Hackett. The former was electric, and within minutes, City were creating, but not before a challenge left Tom Bayliss in a heap.

City immediately found a vibrancy to the attack, with Hackett weaving into the area and firing over. Wycombe’s threat came from the counter, Mullins spurning a good effort after a fortunate bounce. Adam Reach had to clear a ball off the line, before Onyedimna and Bradley came together, both spending time on the turf.

After that, it was all City with Moylan weaving into the area. He appeared to be clipped as he beat a player, but referee Langford chose to book Moylan. It may have been outside the area, but there was definite contact and, as has been the case in recent weeks, another honking decision from the referee. It would not be the last.

City were flying, and Ben House almost got us back in the game from a Collins cross. The ball fell to the former Derby County striker after good work by Reach and, unsurprisingly, Jack Moylan.

On 64 minutes, we made a double change, the ineffective Collins coming off, along with Bayliss. On came Justin Obikwu and Freddie Draper, and it had an instant impact. From what looked like it was going to be a long throw, Tom Hamer whipped in a cross and Obikwu met it on the volley to get us back into the game.

Wycombe looked rattled now, and Henderson picked up a booking for lunging at Hackett as he wriggled free in the middle of the park. They could only watch as Moylan, again, turned provider, setting up House who lashed narrowly wide. It was not one of those obvious chances either, the striker did really well to lift the ball over Norris only to also beat the far post.

Playing with verve and panache, City scored on 70, only for it to be ruled out. Grimmer and Norris collided, leaving Draper free to net, but Langford blew for a foul. The replay seemed to suggest the keeper and defender collided, with a slight hint of a push from Draper, but no worse than the usual jostling for the ball.

Draper did not have to wait long for a reward, though, as he bagged five minutes later to make it 2-2. Hackett and Reach combined, with the latter putting another great ball into the area, and Freddie getting in just ahead of his defender. It was no less than the free flowing Imps deserved, and rather than enjoying the moment, it was telling City went back for a restart as the game was ours to win.

Or lose, as it turns out.

At 2-2 it seemed we would go on and win it, and had Obikwu been a fraction closer to the ball, we would. With five minutes to go Moylan and Hackett worked to create a superb cross, which had the Trinidad striker looking at an empty net, three yards out. The ball had pace and he was only able to get a fleeting touch to send it wide.

That could have won the game, but instead, the Chairboys snatched it. They won a weak corner, and delivered a weak ball, but it was met with awful defending. A waist height ball should never find its way to the back stick, but it did, and Jack Grimmer poked home to break City hearts.

The Imps did press hard late on, and Bradley had another ruled out, Draper deemed to have pushed a player over as the ball came across, despite Bradley’s shirt clearly being held as the ball was delivered. Langford seemed afraid of giving a big decision against the home side, and while a couple might have been on the edge, we got nothing from him all afternoon. Another stinker for EFL officials, in a season where there have been so few good referees.

We leave Buckinghamshire with no points, but plenty of positives. Better defending in the first half would have seen us win comfortably, and maybe a little luck from the officials would have brought the same outcome.

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