Preview: Wycombe Wanderers v Port Vale

Wycombe Wanderers entertain Port Vale on Saturday in their 27th league game of the season.


The league table currently shows Wycombe in 2nd place with 49 points from 26 games and Port Vale in 5th spot with 43 points from 27 games

Wycombe's Home Record.....Won 8 - Drawn 3 - Lost 3 - Pts 27 (Rank-3)

Port Vale's Away Record.......Won 5 - Drawn 4 - Lost 6 - Pts 19 (Rank-9)


The Blues have won their last 5 league games at Adams Park.

Vale have lost their last 5 league games away from home.

The Blues have won 7 of their last 8 league games.

Vale have won 2 of their last 9 league games.

Eleven weeks ago Vale were 2nd in the league 5 points clear of the Blues having just beaten them 2-1.

Today the Blues are 2nd in the league 6 points clear of Vale.

Wycombe's next goal will be their 1,000th in the football league.

It's 17 games since Wycombe last drew.

Vale manager Jim Gannon returns to Adams Park for the first time since his promotion-winning Stockport side knocked Wycombe out of the 2008 play-off semi-finals amid a war of words with Paul Lambert.

A superb run of results has seen Wycombe storm up the table to establish themselves in the automatic promotion places within touching distance of league-leaders Chesterfield and with daylight between themselves and the chasing pack.

The trouble with great runs is that you know they have to come to an end at some point. Four home-wins in a row apparently equalled a ten-year record. Tuesday's win over Cheltenham made it five in a row. Surely it's too much to hope for a 6th which probably hasn't happened since dinosaurs roamed the earth.

The form guide suggests a home win, but watch out for the fact that Wycombe haven't drawn a game since October.

Dave Winfield is still suspended, while striker Scott Rendell, left-back Andy Sandell and midfielder Matt Bloomfield are all battling to be fit for the game.



Port Vale's last five games (All Competitions)

LG2: Crewe (A)...............Lost 1-2

LG2: Cheltenham (H).......Lost 0-1

LG2: Barnet (H).............Drew 0-0

LG2: Lincoln (A)...............Lost 0-1

LG2: Rotherham (H)........Won 1-0



Wycombe's last five games (All Competitions)

LG2: Crewe (A)...............Lost 0-3

FAC: Hereford (H)............Lost 0-1

LG2: Lincoln (A)..............Won 2-1

LG2: Rotherham (H)........Won 1-0

LG2: Cheltenham (H).......Won 2-1



Port Vale Goal Stats (35 games in all Competitions)

Goals Scored (Total)..........Lg: 30...Cups: 15...Total: 45

Goals Conceded (Total)......Lg: 23...Cups: 15...Total: 38

Goals Scored (Away).........Lg: 17...Cups: 8.....Total: 23

Goals Conceded (Away).....Lg: 16...Cups: 14...Total: 28

Clean Sheets.....................Lg: 13...Cups: 2....Total: 15



Wycombe Goal Stats (32 games in all Competitions)

Goals Scored (Total)...........Lg: 38...Cups: 11...Total: 49

Goals Conceded (Total).......Lg: 28...Cups: 11...Total: 39

Goals Scored (Home)..........Lg: 21...Cups: 7.....Total: 28

Goals Conceded (Home)......Lg: 15...Cups: 10...Total: 25

Clean Sheets......................Lg: 10...Cups: 1.....Total: 11



Port Vale's Top Goal Scorers - (All Competitions)

Marc Richards..........14 (inc 5 pens)

Justin Richards.........10 (inc 1 pen)

Sean Rigg.................4

John McCombe..........4

Louis Dodds..............3

Two other players have each scored two goals.

Four other players have each scored one goal.



Wycombe's Top Goal Scorers - (All Competitions)

Scott Rendell............9 (inc 4 pens)

Gareth Ainsworth......7

Andy Sandell............7

Kevin Betsy..............6

Stuart Beavon..........5

Ben Strevens...........5

Matt Bloomfield........3

Three other players have each scored two goals.

One other player has scored one goal



Port Vale Shooting (Top-3) - All Competitions

Marc Richards.........32 on-target...33 off-target...3 against woodwork

Justin Richards.......20 on-target...28 off-target...3 against woodwork

Sean Rigg..............22 on-target...20 off-target...1 against woodwork



Wycombe Shooting (Top-3) - All Competitions

Kevin Betsy............17 on-target...34 off-target...2 against woodwork

Gareth Ainsworth....16 on-target...23 off-target...3 against woodwork

Stuart Beavon........18 on-target...19 off-target...1 against woodwork



Shooting (Club) - League Games Only

Port Vale......107 on target...155 off target...8 against w'work (Rank-13)

Wycombe.....107 on target...146 off target..10 against w'work (Rank-18)



Most Assists

Wycombe.......Kevin Betsy...6

Port Vale.....Marc Richards...5



League Form Guide

All Season

Port Vale......Pld: 27...W: 12...D: 7...L: 8....Pts: 43...Pts per game: 1.59

Wycombe.....Pld: 26...W: 14...D: 7...L: 5....Pts: 49...Pts per game: 1.88



Last Five league Games

Port Vale............LLDLW - 4 points (Rank-18)

Wycombe......WLWWW - 12 points (Rank-4)



Last Five League Games (Away)

Port Vale..............LLLLL - 0 points (Rank-24)



Last Five League Games (Home)

Wycombe......WWWWW - 15 points (Rank-1)



Against Top Half Opposition

Port Vale........Pld: 14...Pts: 21...Pts per game: 1.50...(Rank-5)

Wycombe.......Pld: 13...Pts: 26...Pts per game: 2.00...(Rank-1)



Against Bottom Half Opposition

Port Vale.......Pld: 13...Pts: 22...Pts per game: 1.69...(Rank-9)

Wycombe......Pld: 13...Pts: 23...Pts per game: 1.77...(Rank-6)



Previous Meetings

In 11 previous meetings there have been 5 wins for Wycombe, 2 for Port Vale and 4 draws.

At Adams Park there have been 4 wins for Wycombe, 1 for Port Vale and 0 draws.


2000/01 LG1: Wycombe 0 Port Vale 1

2001/02 LG1: Wycombe 3 Port Vale 1

2002/03 LG1: Wycombe 3 Port Vale 1

2003/04 LG1: Wycombe 2 Port Vale 1

2008/09 LG2: Wycombe 4 Port Vale 2



The Man In The Middle

Saturday's referee is Garry Sutton from Lincolnshire who was promoted to the National List of Referees in 2009. His most recent Wycombe game was a 2-2 draw at home to Northampton Town in last season's Johnstone's Paint Trophy. During the current campaign he's issued 3 red and 45 yellow cards in 15 games.



Prediction

Wycombe 1 Port Vale 1

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