Stevenage return to Sky Bet League One action as they travel to Adams Park for a clash with Matt Bloomfield’s Wycombe…
Last weekend, The Lamex Stadium played host to a thrilling first-round FA Cup tie as Jamie Reid’s 100th minute winner wrapped up a 4-3 victory over Tranmere Rovers.
Attention for Steve Evans and his men now lies on league football, with Boro sat in sixth place after sixteen games. Since promotion into League One, Stevenage have continued to defy the odds, especially with a 3-1 victory over former Premier League side Derby County.
This Saturday, the task at hand is to overcome a strong Wycombe Wanderers side, with the clubs meeting in the third tier for the first time in over a decade.
The Opposition
Wycombe Wanderers have had a decent League One campaign so far, with the club in tenth place after six wins, four draws and five losses from 15 games. Their form as of late will be something Stevenage can capitalise on though, with the Chairboys failing to win in their last four league games.
Having said that, Wycombe advanced into the second round of the FA Cup last weekend with a 2-1 win away to League Two Bradford City. It was Killian Phillips to open the scoring for the Chairboys, followed by an own goal to make it two.
The man to look out for in the Wycombe side is midfielder, Luke Leahy, who has featured in the back line in recent weeks. Despite frequently appearing in defence, Leahy is the Chairboys’ top scorer this season with six goals to his name in all competitions alongside 5 assists. The 30-year-old was nominated for League One player of the month for October and has started all of Wycombe’s league games so far this campaign.
Their current gaffer is nothing short of a Wycombe legend. Matt Bloomfield’s playing career ended as recent as February 2022 after making an outstanding 557 appearances with the Chairboys after signing in 2003. As a player, Bloomfield won four promotions with Wycombe; three from League Two and one from League One.
Played for Both
Nick Freeman will be returning to Adams Park this Saturday for the first time since signing from Wycombe in the summer. The Stevenage-born midfielder made 178 appearances in a Wycombe shirt, including seven in the Championship.
32 other players have appeared for both Wycombe and Stevenage over the years. Darius Charles was a popular figure at The Lamex Stadium throughout his time at Stevenage, playing a big part in the 2010/11 League Two promotion campaign.
It was Charles’ pass to John Mousinho, who also featured for Wycombe, that resulted in the only goal in the 2011 League Two play-off final. Charles played 43 games for the Chairboys later in his career.
Dannie Bulman made over 200 appearances for Wycombe before signing for Stevenage in 2004, and from last season’s promotion-winning side, both Daryl Horgan and Adam Przybek had previously played for Wycombe.
The Stadium
Adams Park has been the home of Wycombe Wanderers since it opened in 1990. The ground has a licenced capacity of approx. 9,448, with a record attendance of 10,000 being set in a pre-season friendly with Chelsea in 2005. Stevenage supporters will be able to purchase and collect tickets from Ticket Office 1 on the day of the game.
Officials
Benjamin Speedie has been appointed match referee for Saturday’s match, with Ryan Whitaker and Stephen Brown as his assistants, and Alan Cresswell as fourth official. Speedie has handed out 29 yellow cards and three reds so far this season.
---
