Matt Bloomfield urges Wycombe to remain level-headed in play-off push

Posted Tuesday, April 11, 2023 by PA

Wycombe boss Matt Bloomfield urged his players to keep level-headed after their 2-0 victory over Forest Green edged them closer to a play-off spot.

Chem Campbell’s header gave the Chairboys an early lead, before a Charlie Savage own goal shortly after half-time gave the hosts a comfortable advantage.

With Bolton and Derby both drawing 1-1 at home, Wycombe are now three points off sixth despite a bleak 4-0 defeat to Ipswich on Good Friday.

But Bloomfield did not getting carried away after the final whistle, and the message to his squad was one of calm.

“I just said to the boys in there, there’s no elaborate celebrations. It’s about staying constant,” said Bloomfield.

“With five games left, there are going to be plenty of ups and downs. Of course when you come in and you see a couple of other results have gone in your favour, it helps. We’re still in the fight and we’ll keep going.

“The outside noise is exactly that, and inside the building we have to be as focused as we can be.”

The result ended Wycombe’s four-game winless streak – their longest of the season – but Bloomfield insisted he has been pleased with large parts of his sides’ performances since he took over in February.

Bloomfield said: “I said to the boys before the game that I know I’ve made a lot about getting the result today but it’s still the performance I was chasing.

“If we keep playing the way we have been, more results will come our way. I was really pleased with aspects of it.

“To go and repeat is what we have to keep doing. We’ve got five more games, starting with Morecambe on Saturday.

“We need to show that same intensity. I don’t think we haven’t at any point, it’s just been segments of the games that let ourselves down.”

Both goals came from set pieces, and Forest Green manager Duncan Ferguson was irked by the number of soft free-kicks that were awarded to the hosts.

Ferguson said: “These teams know. They’re not daft. So they start falling over on the edge of the box and that’s what they did today.

“Our player marginally touches the guy and he falls over. It’s meant to be a contact sport.”

Rovers need maximum points from their final five games to have a chance of staying up, but Ferguson insisted he was not concerned by permutations.

“I think it’s always in the back of your mind,” said Ferguson. “I think we knew when we came in how difficult the position was. I don’t look at the league table.

“At the end of the day, we have to keep fighting until it’s actually announced.”