Wycombe 2-0 Portsmouth: Anis Mehmeti stars as Chairboys cruise in first-ever 'Access All Areas' match

Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet League One clash between Wycombe and Portsmouth at Adams Park - Sky Sports' first-ever 'EFL Access All Areas' fixture - as Anis Mehmeti scored one goal and assisted another in a comfortable Chairboys win

Sunday 4 December 2022 15:31, UK

Anis Mehmeti scored one and made the other in Wycombe's 2-0 victory over Portsmouth which lifted them into the top half of Sky Bet League One.

It was just what the Chairboys deserved for a largely dominant performance against an out-of-sorts Pompey, who allowed a chance to move into the play-off places to pass them by.

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Wycombe were ahead after 13 minutes when David Wheeler battled to win a long ball before passing to Brandon Hanlan, who laid off for Mehmeti to hammer a first-time effort into the top corner.

Alfie Mawson then came within a whisker of doubling the hosts' lead five minutes before half-time when his shot hit the post after Ryan Tafazolli nodded the ball into his path.

Portsmouth improved in the second half but the closest they came to finding an equaliser was when Wycombe goalkeeper Max Stryjek tipped Reeco Hackett's shot wide in the 74th minute.

Pompey goalkeeper Griffiths then saved well from Lewis Wing before Garath McCleary made the game safe for Wycombe with two minutes remaining, stroking in Mehmeti's cutback.

Which areas were accessed as part of Access All Areas?

Wycombe manager Gareth Ainsworth first arrived at Adams Park with Sky Sports' David Craig - who was sporting a questionable leather jacket as he paid homage to the man known as 'Wild Thing' - and discussed the build-up to the historic match.

Sky Sports cameras were then permitted to film the exchange of the teamsheets between referee Scott Oldham, his assistants, Ainsworth's assistant Richard Dobson, Wycombe captain Alfie Mawson and Portsmouth manager Danny Cowley.

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Sky Sports' Don Goodman then spent time with Oldham, who explained the day-to-day life of an EFL referee.

Cameras installed inside both the dressing rooms captured animated half-time and full-time team talks, while Ainsworth was interviewed seconds before the start of the second half and Cowley discussed Pompey's improvement midway through the second half.

What the managers said...

Wycombe's Gareth Ainsworth: "It was great and I'm really proud today. It was a really well-deserved win. That was a great finish from Anis and a great lay-off from Brandon, which is something we've worked on.

"We have said to Anis to look for the pass, because he's one of those players who sometimes beats one man and then wants to beat another. He's winning headers now and getting more physical. The more this boy works, the better he'll be. I'm worried about January!"

Portsmouth's Danny Cowley: "There's a sense of disappointment we didn't get to our levels. We were short physically and you have to come here and earn the right and we didn't. In the second half we came out and did better, but ultimately, lacked quality when we got into good areas.

"We managed to get control in the second half and got into their final third on numerous occasions, but the decision-making could have been better. We're really disappointed today. It was well short of the standards we set ourselves. This is always a pivotal time of year. This is our first loss in 10, but we have to take the learning from this and move forward."

What's next?

Both teams are back in action at 3pm on Saturday December 10. Wycombe travel to the LNER Stadium to face Lincoln, while Portsmouth take on Accrington at the Wham Stadium.