Slump costs Lambert in debut season

Last updated : 24 May 2007 By Gary Moss

Final Position: 12

Top Goalscorer: Jermaine Easter (24)

Player of the Season: Jermaine Easter.

This striker really is goals, goals and goals. Tommy Mooney and Easter made

Easter... prolific year
up a formidable strike force for most of the season and it was because of these two that Wycombe's play-off hopes kept afloat. Other than goals from the two front men, the closest contender could muster only four goals in total.

Easter, netted seventeen times in the league and scored in every round of their impressive Carling Cup run.

If they can hold onto him this summer, Easter will be a vital part of Wycombe's promotion bid next season.

His pace and power make him a tricky opponent. His consistent ability to score goals will always give you a chance.

Against Notts: Carling Cup hero Jeramine Easter struck the only goal of the game at Meadow Lane to put the Magpies cup dreams to the slaughter. Kevin Betsy was the star of the show for the visitors as County missed out on a dream tie with Chelsea in the last four.

In the league, Notts took all the points at Meadow Lane in what at the time was a tight play-off match up. Junior Mendes hit the games only goal inside the first half and a resilient County kept a clean sheet to claim a deserved three points.

It was a bore draw at Adams Park in a game that never produced the best from either side. Both teams were in and out of the game in a match that failed to produce any real spark.

Defining Moment: Wycombe were thumped 3-0 away at Torquay in early March and from then on the writing was on the walls.

They failed to win another league game all season picking up just five league points in their final eleven games.

Wanderers endured a dip in form after their cup exit at the hands of Chelsea but it was always thought that they would do enough to cling onto seventh spot.

It was almost as if defeat to bottom club Torquay ripped the heart from the players and from then on they hit free fall, finishing the campaign twelfth in the table.

Highlight: Holding then Premiership Champions Chelsea to a 1-1 draw at Adams Park in the first leg semi-final of the Carling Cup.

The atmosphere was terrific at Adams Park that night as Lambert's side did themselves and the division proud.

A fantastic contribution from striker Jermaine Easter led the Chairboys to the semis where they lost out after a second leg 4-0 drubbing away at Stamford Bridge.

They beat off Charlton in the previous round to book their place amongst the final four in the competition.

Wanderers also enjoyed earlier victories over top flight Fulham and of course Notts on route to the semis.

Lowlight: The departure of winger Kevin Betsy was the start of Wycombe's slump and who knows where they would now be with the pace and trickery of the right hand man.

He was a handful for even England's left-back Ashley Cole and showed his credentials in abundance.

In the January transfer window he left for League One outfit Bristol City and it was from this point on that the Chairboys promotion dreams began to fade.

Betsy went onto to win automatic promotion with the Robins and will not be out of his depths playing Championship football next season.

Betsy... Key loss
The Mad Verdict:
Wycombe hit free fall this season because of a number of factors.

The loss of influential Kevin Betsy and a harsh semi-final cup exit paired with the midfield's inability to chip in with goals cost the Chairboys promotion.

Twelfth is a severe injustice to this Wycombe team that clearly has talent.

On their day they can be the best in the division but on others they fail even to turn up. It was the latter that occurred too much throughout this campaign.

After an explosive start to the season where they lost just twice in their opening thirteen games they were backed for a top three finish, but their end of season results showed relegation form.

In bursts they can beat anyone and in others they look useless. They were one of the favourites to win promotion this term but with such levels of inconsistency it was always unattainable.

What's Next? Wycombe must strengthen over the summer with their number one priority being a goal scoring midfielder.

If they keep Mooney and Easter together up top and bring in one or two new players to rotate amongst the midfield they could find themselves in amongst the top sides.

If they can build towards more strength in depth rather than relying on too few key players they have the ability to be a real force next year.