A frustrated Gareth Ainsworth was left scratching his head after two controversial refereeing decisions cost Wycombe the points in their 2-1 home defeat to Derby.
In the first-ever fixture between the two sides at Adams Park, Daryl Horgan thought he had given the Chairboys the lead in the first-half, but his goal was ruled out for offside.
Replays showed that the Republic of Ireland international winger has onside and just a minute after his effort was disallowed, Uche Ikpeazu scored an own goal to give Derby the lead.
The striker levelled things up with a penalty at the start of the second period, but Andre Wisdom fired in the winner in the final minute of injury-time to give Derby all three points.
Again, replays showed that Derby forward Colin Kazim-Richards was in an offside position and was impeding goalkeeper Ryan Allsop, when the former Liverpool full-back scored for the Rams.
Speaking after the match, Ainsworth said: “People will say ‘it’s Wycombe Wanderers manager, they’re a small club, they shouldn’t be in the Championship and blah, blah, blah’, but if they were to look at some of the decisions that have come against us, I’d be astounded.
“I don’t really have to pick them [the players] up.
“I just have to tell them about the performance because there were two moments in the game where the decisions have gone horrendously against us, and I’m not even talking about the second penalty shout.
“I am talking about the winning goal.
“If Kazim-Richards isn’t offside and interfering with play, then I don’t know what constitutes as interfering with play.
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“And the Daryl Horgan incident in the first half.
“And I can’t wait to get them ready for Saturday as they feel aggrieved and I am looking forward to unleashing them, as we are ready to scrap and fight.”
It was a heartbreaking defeat for Wanderers who were buoyed by their weekend comeback victory over Huddersfield Town, which ended a torrid run of five straight league defeats.
The so-called 'offside' for Horgan's goal
This was the 'offside' that was given for Horgan's goal...minutes later, Derby go 1-0 up. You couldn't make this up. #Chairboys #DCFC https://t.co/Fce3gQzpJX
— James Richings | Bucks Free Press (@James_BFP) February 16, 2021
But the loss against Derby, in a match which they really should have won as they were by far the better side, is a familiar feeling of Wycombe’s season, as it is the third time this campaign that they have conceded an injury-time winner.
Ainsworth continued: “I thought we were outstanding, and I will focus on the positives and not the negatives because there are too many to mention.
“I didn’t think the decisions were good enough at all and I can go into some major detail but it is terrible.
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“I think we’d be well in this fight and possibly, not bottom of the league which is crazy to say but it really does pain me to say that we deserve a lot more.
“But I am so proud of the boys, I am so proud of the way we’re fighting, and I have brilliant backing from our owner and I can’t show any more than what we did.
“I thought we were brilliant.”
Wycombe’s next home match is against Reading on February 23.
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