We may only be heading into the back end of August, but Wycombe Wanderers have shown that they mean business in their quest for Championship football.
Since the season began on August 7, the Chairboys have defeated Accrington Stanley and Cheltenham Town in the league, have knocked out Exeter City in the Carabao Cup, and picked up an unlikely draw against former Premier League giants Wigan Athletic in the space of 10 days.
It's all about Saturday!
— Wycombe Wanderers (@wwfcofficial) August 19, 2021
Head to https://t.co/L8vpuGV6G0 to secure your tickets.
Let's pack out that terrace...#WYCvLIN
Not bad for a side that had to wait 10 matches into the previous season to pick up their first victory.
It’s still early days, but it seems that following on from their Championship journey of 2020/21, manager Gareth Ainsworth is keen to keep this dream alive, as Wanderers are now unbeaten in their last six matches – a run that began on May 1 following a 1-0 home victory against Bournemouth.
READ MORE: Mixed emotions for Anthony Stewart as defender rescues a point for Wycombe against Wigan
We also mustn’t forget that the Chairboys were unbeaten in their five pre-season friendlies, which included a 1-0 win over the FA Cup winners Leicester City at Adams Park.
Yes, three of these fixtures did consist entirely of trialists, but the fact that the club signed players such as Olly Pendlebury, Jack Wakely, Tjay de Barr, Tyla Dickinson, Max Ram, and keeper Adam Przybek, who all played in the games against Chesham United, Aylesbury United and Hanwell Town respectively, it shows that Wanderers’ good start to the season is the result of good planning and preparation from Ainsworth, his staff and the board.
So, what next for the Chairboys?
Our House meets Our Set-Piece King!
— Wycombe Wanderers (@wwfcofficial) August 18, 2021
We're sitting down with @joe_jacobson tomorrow ahead of Saturday's game against Lincoln at Adams Park.
And we want your questions to fire at him!
Go go go...#Chairboys pic.twitter.com/pbtrVI1h3C
Well, they face Lincoln City at home this weekend [August 21], which will end a run of three straight away games in which Wanderers have clocked over 800 miles between August 7 and August 17.
Returning to home territory could do Wycombe the world of good, as playing in front of a packed Adams Park should get the players’ adrenaline going, and shake off any tiredness and weariness following three long away trips in seven days.
READ MORE: Wycombe defender named in the current League One Team of the Week
Going into the match against the Imps this weekend, Wanderers are unbeaten in their last five outings against Michael Appleton’s men, winning twice and drawing three times.
In fact, the last time Wanderers lost to Lincoln was in March 2009 – a 1-0 defeat at Sincil Bank but in a season that Wycombe gained promotion.
But in recent years, this fixture will be remembered for Joe Jacobson's unique hat-trick, which was scored on Saturday, September 7, 2019.
In what would be the year that he would get the most important goal in Wycombe’s history, as he scored the winner in the League One play-off against Oxford United to send Wanderers into the Championship, Jacobson scored a hat-trick of set pieces against the Imps, which included TWO corners.
We've heard back from the Dubious Goals Panel...
— Wycombe Wanderers (@wwfcofficial) September 9, 2019
IT'S A HAT-TRICK! https://t.co/HgBnmO9WSg
READ MORE: Praise for Pendlebury as youngster is named in the EFL's Team of the week
The first was a brilliant free-kick, the second was a corner that was deflected in off Michael Bostwick, and the third was from another corner that flew in over Lincoln keeper Josh Vickers.
However, it was an anxious wait for the Welshman, as it wasn’t confirmed for another two days that his deflected set piece was officially credited as his goal.
Will we see another hat-trick for Jacobson at Adams Park this weekend?
Who knows, but with the Wanderers fans back in full voice, this battle between third versus 13th in League One will no doubt make some noise in South Bucks.
My prediction: Wycombe Wanderers 3-2 Lincoln City
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