Young gun hits the headlines

WYCOMBE Wanderers, Athletic’s opponents on Saturday, made history at Hartlepool last weekend.

Gary Waddock’s side had previously only won one in eight before their visit to Victoria Park.

Thanks to goals from Scott Donnelly, top scorer Stuart Beavon and a Sam Collins own goal, the Chairboys picked up three valuable points in a 3-1 victory.

It wasn’t the win that attracted national headlines, though, so much as the role played in it by 90th-minute substitute Jordan Ibe.

At only 15, the schoolboy forward became the youngest-ever player to represent Wycombe in a league game, smashing the record previously held by team-mate Kadeem Harris.

Manchester United scouts have reportedly been tracking Ibe’s progress ever since he netted with a wonder-strike in pre-season.

“He’s here on merit, he’s a very talented young man and he’s got his league debut and smashed Kadeem’s record,” said Waddock afterwards, of a player making his fourth showing of the season following appearances in the Carling Cup and Johnstone’s Paint Trophy.

While that win at Hartlepool impresses — as does the home 1-0 victory over well-fancied Sheffield United in late September — only one other success has been registered all season, away at Leyton Orient when the O’s were in the doldrums.

Last term’s player-of-the-season, goalkeeper Nicky Bull, will be out to stop Athletic by putting on a good show at Boundary Park on Saturday.

In midfield, on-loan QPR schemer Martin Rowlands will be pulling Wycombe’s strings and 38-year-old Gareth Ainsworth may get another run on the right wing, while up front alongside seven-goal Beavon will be experienced striker Ben Strevens.