13 February 2021

Gareth Ainsworth proud of ‘outstanding’ Wycombe after memorable comeback win

13 February 2021

Proud Wycombe boss Gareth Ainsworth hailed an “awesome day” for his side as they claimed a memorable 3-2 comeback win at Huddersfield

The hosts led 2-0 thanks to goals from Juninho Bacuna and Isaac Mbenza, but the visitors showed incredible character to turn the contest on its head.

Goals from Anis Mehmeti, Joe Jacobson and Josh Knight completed a stunning turnaround as rock-bottom Wycombe claimed their first away win at Huddersfield for 26 years.

“That’s an awesome day for us,” said Ainsworth. “I’m really proud of the boys. I thought they were outstanding.

“It’s been a really tough month but we proved that we can compete, it’s just about doing it consistently. The boys were superb, in the second half especially.”

Ainsworth felt Mehmeti’s goal to halve Huddersfield lead deep into first-half stoppage time was vital to his side’s recovery.

“The goal before half-time was crucial, absolutely crucial,” he said.

“Anis Mehmeti has graduated from our B-team – and he really has grown into a first-team player.

“His goal gave us so much belief at half-time and I thought in the second half there was only one team in it. I’m really proud of the boys.”

Wycombe’s victory was their first away in the league since the start of November and ended a run of four games without a win in the Championship.

Ainsworth  added: “I spoke to the owner Rob Couhig in midweek and we had a really good chat. And he said to me ‘come out swinging in every game’. Metaphorically speaking of course, not literally. We’d have a few sent-off if we did that.

“But he said come swinging, fighting and get them [the players] believing they can stay up in this league.

“Everybody expects us to go down, but that’s what we’re going to do from now until the end of the season.

“We had a big meeting and it got all the boys feeling great about themselves.”

Frustrated Huddersfield coach Carlos Corberan blamed a lack of confidence for his side squandering a healthy lead.

But he stressed: “It was an awful game, more than a disaster. But are in a relegation battle now.

“Nobody wanted this result. We wanted to change the dynamic because we’d not won for six games.

“I think we did really well in the first 40 minutes of the game because we controlled (it).

“After we scored the second goal we didn’t have the confidence to win it, we started to play with some doubts.

“The goal we conceded before half-time created those doubts.

“It’s a very difficult moment for us. We didn’t manage the pressure trying to get the result.

“We tried to finish the game before it was finished.

“My feeling was that the team didn’t have enough confidence to win.

“It’s easy to have confidence when you’re getting results, but the challenge is to have confidence when the results are not going your way.

“We need to change the mentality of the players rather than be angry.

“We need to face every game and to try and win every game to stay in the Championship.

“I understand we didn’t perform well and all of the second half.”

Huddersfield have now taken just two points from their last seven games, leaving them 18th in the Championship and five points above the relegation zone.

The Spaniard, who took charge last July, added: “I don’t feel any more pressure than when I arrived at the club, my aim is the same. I’ll be fighting every day.

“Sometimes when you’re not getting results it creates lots of doubts.”

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