Ainsworth savours Wycombe’s impressive draw at Sunderland

Posted Sunday, November 18, 2018 by PA

Gareth Ainsworth felt Wycombe could be proud of their performance after taking a point from League One title favourites Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

In front of a 30,000-plus crowd on Wearside, the Chairboys gave the Black Cats a real scare by taking the lead deep into the second half.

While Sunderland battled back to earn a point, the result was enough to prevent Jack Ross’ side from climbing to the top of the table and extending their winning run to nine.

Wycombe winger Fred Onyedinma powered the visitors ahead in the 66th minute to raise hope of an unlikely away win on Wearside but with time running out, substitute Josh Maja struck his 11th goal of the season to prevent only a second league defeat of the season for Sunderland.

Ainsworth, whose side sit 15th, said: “It was a superb performance by the boys.

“I thought we were the better side in the first half and up to the goal it was very even, but after the goal Sunderland piled some serious pressure on us. Once one goal comes at this fantastic football club, the fans are behind them and it could have been two.

“We’ve competed with what I think is the league’s best team. Jack Ross is a fantastic manager and this is a proper football club.

“I don’t think teams under-estimate us, I think they respect us. We really do punch above our weight so to come here and be on the front foot was something we wanted to do.

“We stayed next door to the ground. I think teams usually come through a back door but I said to the stewards I wanted our lads to come in through the front door with our chests out. There’s some fabulous names and clubs and players who have come through those doors and my lads deserved that after last season.

“It’s one of the biggest gulfs in the league. Clubs like Accrington, Gillingham and Walsall are similar stature to us.”

Maja is an academy graduate at Sunderland and he is certainly taking his chance this season. He is out of contract in the summer and has clubs monitoring him at higher levels, having proven his quality as a finisher.

Ross said: “I know he will be here with me until minimum January and I would hope longer. You can’t say that with any certainty but I hope he will be at Sunderland for the foreseeable future.

“I do know he is enjoying his football and playing regularly and contributing. You sometimes forget how young he is and to score 11 goals, he deserves huge credit for that but he is level-headed.

“He knows there are aspects of his game he needs to improve on and he knows he can progress here. I believe we will continue to improve him but there are not that many better clubs than this so there are a whole lot of things for him to consider.”

On the game as a whole, Ross added: “There is an element of frustration after this because there was the tangible reward for us. On the flip side, I don’t think you could ask the players to show more desire and the response to adversity has been very good.

“You have to have good squads who want to play in the game and every single player deserves credit for making a contribution to get something from the game.”