Wycombe winger Garath McCleary has thanked Wanderers boss Gareth Ainsworth in allowing the club’s attacking players to ‘express themselves’ in the final third of the opposition’s half.
The 34-year-old scored in the Chairboys’ 4-1 away win at Cambridge United on April 5, which was their seventh game unbeaten as they move into the top-six.
The strike was also McCleary’s ninth of the season and his first away from home in the third tier of English football since April 2008, when he scored for Nottingham Forest in a 2-0 win at Carlisle United.
88 - GOOOAALLL!!!!!! @gmccleary12 has done it! It's his first away goal of the season, his ninth overall and the points are now sealed! What a goal! His first away goal in League One since 2008! #Chairboys #CUFC
— 🏴 James Richings 🇲🇾 (@James_BFP) April 5, 2022
🟠 1-4 🔵
This was his first-ever career goal.
READ MORE: Sam Vokes scores a brace as Wycombe run riot away at Cambridge to move into the play-offs
Speaking after the brilliant win at the Abbey, he said: “Since I have come in, the gaffer has given me a license to express myself in the final third.
“And with players such as Anis Mehmeti, who is a dribbler as well, to be given the freedom to express yourself in the final third from the manager gives us a lot of confidence and for us, it’s brilliant to have.
“I have played in teams recently that have played out from the back and now that we have started to do that, it helps us a lot and that’s a credit to the gaffer.
“Josh’s shooting in training is different class and I am quite surprised he hadn’t scored so far this season.
FT: Cambridge United 1-4 Wycombe Wanderers.
— 🏴 James Richings 🇲🇾 (@James_BFP) April 5, 2022
A brilliant win on the road for the #Chairboys as Sam Vokes got himself a brace, Josh Scowen scored a screamer and @gmccleary12 got his first away strike of the season.
READ MORE: Live at the Abbey Stadium: Cambridge United 1-4 Wycombe Wanderers: Chairboys run riot
“But I’m glad he is on the scoresheet and hopefully he’ll chip in with a few more.
“I think we just need to focus on ourselves.
“We know that if we do well in the majority of our games, we will be right in the mix so if we keep ticking off these games one by one, hopefully we’ll be in a great stop to fight for promotion.”
Up next for Wanderers is an away trip to Gillingham on April 9.
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