Town had a goal controversially ruled out just before half-time and Tomas Holy saved a second-half penalty as the Blues and Wycombe drew 0-0 in a top-v-second clash at Portman Road. Just before half-time, Luke Chambers’s header was diverted into his own net by Curtis Thompson but referee Alan Young wrongly disallowed it having consulted his linesman with the players already lined-up for the restart. In the second half, Holy stopped Joe Jacobson’s spotkick after Chambers had fouled David Wheeler.

Town were without Flynn Downes, who was subbed late on against Blackpool on Saturday against Blackpool, as they returned to three at the back.

Holy was back in goal with Will Norris on the bench, one of four changes from the team which drew 2-2 at the weekend, while James Wilson joins skipper Chambers and Luke Woolfenden in the back three.

In midfield, Cole Skuse lined-up alongside Jon Nolan and Emyr Huws with James Norwood and Kayden Jackson up front. Janoi Donacien - with Kane Vincent-Young still not ready to return after his groin operation - and Luke Garbutt were the wing-backs.

For Wycombe, ex-Blues youngster Matt Bloomfield skippered, while Adebayo Akinfenwa and Dominic Gape came into the side for Nnamdi Ofoborh and Alex Samuel, who dropped to the bench.

Wycombe’s on-loan QPR forward Paul Smyth hooked an early strike wide for the Chairboys but Town - unusually attacking the Sir Bobby Robson Stand in the first half - saw most of the ball in the early minutes but without threatening until the 11th minute when a mishit Garbutt freekick from the left reached Wilson at the far post.

The centre-half stabbed towards goal but it struck a Wycombe player, on the hand according to supporters but not referee Alan Young.

Moments later, the Blues had an even better shout for a penalty when Nolan’s shot from just outside the area more clearly hit Jacobson's arm but again referee Young was unmoved.

Town, looking far more dangerous than they had for most of Saturday’s game against Blackpool, continued to ramp up the pressure and in the 14th minute they came within inches from the opener.

With rain starting to fall steadily, Jackson crossed from the right and Norwood stooped to nod home from a couple of feet out but was unable to get enough on the wet ball to direct it goalwards.

On 18 Jacobson shot straight at Holy from distance, then at the other end Norwood hit a similarly speculative effort wide.

Akinfenwa had been kept in check by the Blues in the opening stages but on 25 the man-mountain frontman outmuscled Chambers on the edge of the box and was away on goal. Fortunately for Town Holy had come off his line quickly and blocked with his shins.

But overall Town were presenting the greater threat and in the 29th minute, after a 25-yard Garbutt freekick had hit the wall, the resultant corner was cleared out to Huws but the Welshman scuffed his shot wide.

A minute later, Nolan was booked for a foul on Bloomfield. Jacobson looped the freekick to the back of the box but just beyond Akinfenwa.

On 34 Garbutt was booked for a late tackle on Wheeler as the Wycombe midfielder cleared, although there appeared to be little contact.

Moments later at the other end, Jacobson curled a freekick from just outside the area on the right wide.

Skipper Chambers wasn’t too far away from his second of the season in the 41st minute when he flicked a corner from the right but just beyond the far post.

The Blues had looked threatening from set pieces all half and in the 44th minute they thought they’d gone in front.

After the initial ball in had been half-cleared, Chambers headed Garbutt’s cross goalwards, it caught Thompson’s head on the way through, flew past Jackson behind him and beat keeper Ryan Allsop to his left.

Town celebrated the goal as the Wycombe team surrounded referee Young and the players were already lined-up for the restart before the official, who had already had an inconsistent half, spoke to his assistant Aaron Farmer and then disallowed the goal.

It wasn’t clear whether Farmer’s flag had immediately been raised or why it had been disallowed, although the assistant presumably erroneously believed Jackson had got the last touch and was either offside or had handled.

The Town players were furious and Norwood talked himself into the referee’s book for his protests towards the assistant. The former Tranmere man now has five bookings for the season and will miss the Blues’ next league game at Coventry a week on Saturday.

Just before the break, Smyth was cautioned for a foul on Woolfenden, then Donacien was harshly yellow-carded for a foul on Thompson, much to the anger of a now furious Portman Road.

The whistle was greeted by boos aimed at towards referee Young, who had somewhat lost the plot in a chaotic final few minutes in the wake of the bizarre circumstances surrounding the disallowed goal.

Yellow cards were flashed for innocuous Town challenges with worse tackles and lengthy time-wasting - particularly from Chairboys keeper Allsopp - having gone unpunished earlier on.

Had the goal counted, Town would have deserved their lead having been on top for most of the half and having created a couple of decent openings with Norwood unfortunate not to get more on Jackson’s cross earlier in the period. The Blues had also looked dangerous from most of their set pieces.

Wycombe had threatened on fewer occasions and had seen much less of the ball but with Akinfenwa always capable of causing problems and Jacobson’s set pieces a threat.

Midfielder Skuse, who was making his 250th league start for the Blues, required treatment soon after the restart after taking a blow to the leg but eventually was OK to continue.

Anthony Stewart saw his name added to referee Young’s book on the hour for a foul on Norwood. Garbutt curled the freekick high and wide, not the first time his set-piece precision had been below its usual high standard. A minute later, Wycombe swapped Smyth for Scott Kashket. On 71 they swapped Felixstowe-born Bloomfield for Nick Freeman.

Town had struggled to get on top and put Wycombe under any pressure in the second half but in the 73rd minute, after a freekick on the left had been half-cleared, Nolan struck a shot which deflected.

The Blues quickly threatened again with Norwood feeding Nolan on the edge of the box but the ex-Shrewsbury man was unable to get over the ball and it looped well wide.

On 79 Allsop was finally booked for time-wasting as he took an age over a freekick midway inside his side’s half. Two minutes later, Woolfenden was yellow-carded for protesting after being pulled over by Akinfenwa as he sought to head away a cross.

Once Town had dealt with the corner, they switched Wilson for Gwion Edwards and Huws for Danny Rowe as the Blues switched to 4-4-2 for the closing minutes. Soon after, Thompson added his name to referee Young’s lengthy list for a foul on Donacien.

In the 85th minute Wycombe had a golden chance to win the match. After Donacien had given the ball away midway inside the Town half, Wheeler broke into the area as he was hauled back by Chambers. Referee Young pointed straight to the spot, despite Town protests that the pull had taken place outside the area and merely the fall inside it.

Jacobson, who scored the Chairboys’ late winning penalty on Saturday against Doncaster, took the kick and hit it to Holy’s right but the keeper clawed it away to the delight of the home support.

Portman Road’s volume increased for the final minutes. Will Keane replaced Norwood and was quickly into the action, shooting just over from the edge of the box, then unsuccessfully attempting to nod back Garbutt’s freekick, which again had been overhit.

As the game moved into six minutes of additional time, largely for Wycombe time-wasting, Kashket and then Akinfenwa were both yellow-carded for fouls.

Deep injury time an Edwards shot was blocked inside the box but moments later referee Young’s rather overused whistle was given its final use of the evening.

Town will feel very hard done by having had their first-half goal disallowed but never really threatened in the second period and in the end probably didn’t do enough to deserve the win. The Blues didn’t register a shot on target while the Chairboys’ centre-halves, particularly Stewart.

Wycombe, who battled gamely for the point they clearly came for, will think they threw away their chance to win it from the penalty spot, although Holy made an excellent save.

Referee Young’s display will have been the main talking point for fans leaving the ground. Video evidence clearly showed Town’s disallowed goal should have been awarded, while several of the 11 bookings were needless with other challenges were worthy of cautions.

Overall, the draw sees Wycombe remain top, still five points clear of the Blues who have two games in hand, with Peterborough four further points behind.

Town: Holy, Woolfenden, Chambers (c), Wilson (Edwards 81), Donacien, Huws (Rowe 81), Skuse, Nolan, Garbutt, Jackson, Norwood (Keane 88). Unused: Norris, Judge, Nsiala, Dozzell.

Wycombe: Allsop, Jacobson, Gape, Stewart, Wheeler, Bloomfield (c) (Freeman 71), Smyth (Kashket 61), Thompson, Grimmer, Akinfenwa, Charles. Unused: Yates, Phillips, Samuel, Aarons, Ofoborh. Referee: Alan Young (Cambridgeshire). Att: 19,215 (Wycombe: 793)

Photo: TWTD

heathen66 added 23:05 - Nov 26 Firstly an absolute awful refereeing display reminiscent of a cold Sunday morning when the ref called off and the home team manager had to referee. Unfortunately Town set up too much to stop Akinfenwa playing 5 at the back and a holding midfielder which restricted us offensively and therefore zero shots on target. Needed Rowe and Edwards on from 55-60 mins...not 80+ Defensively Wycombe were there for the taking but unfortunately we were too scared of the big man !!! Tomas Holy was the MOTM which sort of says it all. Absolute fantastic penalty save which again saved Donacien and Chambers blushes. Why Holy was dropped to start with is beyond me as had done nothing wrong.

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Cakeman added 23:17 - Nov 26 We were poor, Wycombe were poor, the match as a spectacle was awful and the officials were so bad that they have done their very best for me to stop watching football. I did not enjoy tonight one bit. A waste of an evening.
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RobsonWark added 23:18 - Nov 26 blues1 added 22:59 - Nov 26 "Robdonwark. Never read so much rubbish. He has bar a couple of occasions defended superbly this season. If indeed he did pull the guy back tonight then it was clearly outside the box, and the right thing to do, because he may well have scored otherwise. The fact the guy dived into the box and a totally inept referee gave a penalty is not his fault neither. And you say he cant be rotated? Before sat he hadn't played for 3 matches due to rotation. So if ur gonna post things, u should at least get ur facts right 1st" I know you are having a wind up! If Chambers had of defended properly and not let the guy get the wrong side of him he wouldn't of had to pull him down!! SIMPLE DEFENDING! Chambers hadn't played for 3 matches? Were those games we won?

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StowTractorBoy added 23:23 - Nov 26 Very average performance from Town tonight and Wycombe Wanderers got what they came for but should have got 3 points with the penalty. Words fail me with the performance of the Referee who was the worst of the worst we have had this season. Our disallowed goal had been given and the lino was going back to the halfway line for the restart. The referee bowed to pressure from the Wycombe players and ultimately the lino went in Wycombes favour - unbelievable. Fantastic penalty save from Holy gained us the point but I still maintain Lamberts rotation of players is backfiring as Chambo (who was poor tonight) has subtly indicated. We had not one creative player in midfield tonight which was crying out for Dozzell. I have not been too impressed with him this season but he has a pass in him to open up defences and we had none of that. Can't fault the effort of the players but effort alone will not get us promoted. Much to be done in the transfer window in January if we are to achieve our aim.

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RobsonWark added 23:33 - Nov 26 StowTractorBoy we don't need a transfer window! Keep bringing in new players all the time doesn't help. We just need to play our best team week in week out (that does not include CAPTAIN CALAMITY CHAMBERS!).
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Umros added 23:37 - Nov 26 I knew the quality of refereeing would be bad this year but blimey, give us a break! What on earth was that all about?. Sat in Sir Alf upper so As was not best view I immediately looked at linesman, no flag raised?, no flagging gesture............so until turned radio on after and heard it was OFFSIDE........so,where is the clear flag up, held horizontally then, cause the ref consulted you linesman and you told him not to award! Absolute embarrassment to profession. Yep, it's never the refs fault an inability to win but come on, get a grip, goal over line Saturday proven, no offside, proven tonight, potentially 4 valuable points gone. Could be very costly come May, by which time I very much doubt Wycombe will be anywhere near top 6........incredible how they are anywhere near top playing like that! Football is bizarre!

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Bert added 23:37 - Nov 26 Some of the negativity on here is as misplaced and misguided as the referee. I saw a Town team battling and creating against a dull as ditchwater outfit who are amazingly the league leaders. No shots on goal but a dozen or more not far away. Great atmosphere, a team driving forward and yes a few mistakes and midfield needed a spark but some on here think we were awful. They must need to go and get their eyesight sorted.

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Kickingblock added 23:37 - Nov 26 Remedial shooting practice required! Too much head tennis, it's uncomfortable too see.
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TR11BLU added 23:42 - Nov 26 Anti football Ainsworth you should be ashamed, all respect gone. If that's the standard, my god, I've seen enough
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TR11BLU added 23:43 - Nov 26 Think the ball was in play maybe 15 minutes tonight, and that was airborne Shocking
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Fatboy added 00:04 - Nov 27 Surely the disallowed goal was a shot on target?
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 05:32 - Nov 27 Wycombe look solid but not spectacular. I reckon we can at least match that over a season. We've just got to keep going. Other teams are going to lose consistency at some points too. We do need more goal threat and we do look better in the small spells where we begin to pass the ball around, rather than hoofing it up to a non-existent target man. But despite some negatives, we were the better team against a side that - at the moment at any rate - is top of the league. Everything has been said about the refereeing; I just hope things even themselves out there too over a season. On to the next one. COYB!

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martin587 added 06:26 - Nov 27 The main thing that worries me is that we never had a direct shot on target throughout the game.With the quality of players we have we should be destroying teams but we're not.The referee was diabolical once again.Thanks Holy for the penalty save and saving chambers blushes again.At the end I was satisfied with a clean sheet and the draw but we cannot go week to week without our strike force being more potent.

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bazatron added 06:29 - Nov 27 I just don't understand the tinkering with the formation, we have looked strongest this season with a 442, when have we played well with 352 or 433?!? Tonight ref was dire but we lacked quality throughout, Donacien may well have been our best outfield player, quality save from holy. Norwood needs to focus on his game rather than decisions going against him, we weren't dangerous and we just didn't look like scoring. When you are pushing for a win, opposition are not going to be quaking in their boots over Edwards, Rowe and Keane. I think the blame lies with Lamvet

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Saxonblue74 added 06:39 - Nov 27 Bert, any "negativity" I may post is more a dose of reality. We're sitting in a false position in the league in terms of performances. We have dropped a league and in my opinion dropped a performance level with it. Toward the end of last season, despite results, I felt positive in the direction our team was heading with some creative, fast paced attacking football. This season is disjointed at best against generally very poor opposition. With the exception of KVY and Downes who were greatly missed last night we are seriously lacking creativity. Perhaps this is reflected by Norwoods attitude at present? A player who thrives on good service. A team in our position with a goalkeeper as MOM is not where it deserves to be. How long can PR Paul keep our fantastic attendances at their current level with home performances as consistently poor as this? Our fans are incredibly loyal but not stupid. The club is on the up, performances need to keep pace with it.

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ShropshireBluenago09 added 06:40 - Nov 27 Just one of those games. We hugged and puffed and fair play to Wycombe they defended well. Norwood was not even 60% fit by the looks. We just lacked a plan B. Unreal refereeing. 11 bookings - I'd say only 2-3 were bookings.
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Saxonblue74 added 06:48 - Nov 27 ShropshireBluenago, what was plan A?!
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ShropshireBluenago09 added 06:54 - Nov 27 To huff and puff Saxon
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norfolkbluey added 08:05 - Nov 27 You two guys! No infighting please. Lots of insightful comments and we all get the rubbish officials but hey we are still up there with two games in hand. PL has said it already November is not the time to judge. True we need to be more supportive from midfield because it is obvious we are not providing enough guile to provide our forwards with opportunities to score. Lets not slag off our players or the manager just more positivity please. COYB's

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chalky added 08:14 - Nov 27 Its about time that Norwood stopped posturing and whinging, and got on with doing what he's paid for. 5 bookings at this stage of the season is not helping his cause. Older fans might remember James Scowcroft, who generally go on with the game, contributed important goals, and didn't seem to pick up injuries too often. Norwood would do well to follow his example. Forwards who can't muster a shot on goal at home are about as usefu as an 8 quid note !!l

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Seri added 08:17 - Nov 27 I think Lamberts rotation policy is due to his, sorry to say it, mediocre squad. Except Downes and KVY, and maybe Skuse, there havent been any consistent performers. PL simply hasnt decides whos his best players are - because they havent shown him. He has to rotate them to find out who can get a momentum. If he picks the same bunch regularly like MM did he'll miss opportunities. Remember how far out Donacien were. If he hadnt been rotated/trusted he would have been gone. Suddenly he s one of our best ! As an example I personally think its hard to tell if Nolan and Edwards are good enough. Or Rowe. In glimpses yes, but to be completely trusted game after game ? Keep rotating till the right squad stands out ! COYB.

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Gazelle added 09:14 - Nov 27 If the 'goal' had been allowed and we'd won they'd be little or no moaning on here. Wycombe have only conceded 4 goals on their travels , that's less than us and it's quite clear how they do it. Time wasting from the first minute with constant niggly fouls many which the awful ref didn't see and 10 men back in defence at every opportunity.
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ShropshireBluenago09 added 09:40 - Nov 27 Spot on Gazelle
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brittaniaman added 09:52 - Nov 27 I just cannot see Norwood getting any where near the 32 goals he got last season ? I know we have got a lot of games to go, so prove me wrong James. PL. must play him next Sunday to try and get his game fitness level up as he is Banned from the following game, it is ironic that it is Coventry. Talking of Wycombe GK. he did not make one save last night, so he thought of wasting time every time he had the Ball ? when we did get the Ball in the net He raced after the linesman like a grey hound after a rabbit

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Marinersnose added 10:26 - Nov 27 A really exciting game to watch but no quality from either side. We created very little scoring opportunities and didn't really look threatening. That said we were by far the better side. Both teams were very direct but this tends to be more prevalent in lower leagues. Donacien is improving but cannot cross a ball and lacks the confidence to beat his man. Norwood was a nuisance but not a threat but Jackson was causing them problems with his pace. We need another striker and another attacking midfielder. Edwards's is not a league one player and Rowe is not a favourite of PL. Holy deserves credit for a fantastic save but his long kicks encourage route one. The ref made this game more exciting with some unbelievable decisions. Linesman East side was wrong on most occasions with throw ins and was a complete embarrassment. Still where we need to be well in touch.

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