Tranmere 1, Wanderers 2,

Fred Onyedinma scored for the third game running as ten-man Wanderers battled to a 2-1 victory against Tranmere at Prenton Park – a win which keeps them third in League Two just a point off the top.

The on loan Millwall forward netted what proved to be the winning goal after captain Paul Hayes had put the visitors in front from the penalty spot as he took his tally into double figures for the season before Jordan Hugill responded for the hosts.

There are not many strikers in League Two who can claim to be in a richer vein of form than Onyedinma and he stroked the Blues into a half-time lead with his eighth of the season.

Matt McClure was part of proceedings for under a minute after his arrival as a substitute as he became the first Wycombe player to see red this season for an elbow mid-way through the second half as Blues came under late pressure.

As the home side pressed for an equaliser Sam Wood saved the day with a goal line clearance two minutes from time to secure a tenth away win of the campaign for Wanderers.

Wanderers have an away record comparable to that of any team in the country and they signalled their intent with just nine seconds on the clock as Hayes collected a forward pass on the left-hand side straight from kick-off and drilled a half-volley into the side netting.

On Saturday, Blues had made a fast start against Stevenage and the same starting XI once again looked to dominate their opposition from the off, penning Tranmere inside their own half with the pressure culminating in Sam Saunders sending a left-foot rasper well over the bar from the edge of the box.

Micky Adams’ Rovers had seen off then table toppers Shrewsbury in their last home outing, but the goodwill earned by that result looked to have been eroded after two away defeats with the Tranmere faithful on their players’ backs after a series of loose passes in a nervous opening.

Saunders arrived at Adams Park with a reputation as a dead ball specialist and he had the perfect opportunity to showcase his skills to the travelling faithful when Onyedinma was felled a couple of yards outside the penalty area.

The ball was situated dead centre of the pitch but the winger’s right footed curler was never troubling Owain Fon Williams in the home goal.

Tranmere were at last showing signs of life through Lee Molyneux, but they were still unable to test Matt Ingram and they found their task made eminently harder when referee Mark Heywood introduced himself to the locals.

The man in the middle pointed to the spot with 26 minutes played after ruling that captain Steve Jennings had deliberately handled the ball as it flicked up off Matt Bloomfield’s knee from less than a yard away.

It looked harsh on the hosts but Hayes showed there is no room for sentiment when you’re going for promotion and duly buried the penalty beyond the despairing dive of Fon Williams – a man who Wanderers couldn’t beat for love nor money when the two teams met in August – to score his tenth of the season.

Spurred on by the perceived injustice it took Tranmere just six minutes to pull level as from Max Power’s in-swinging cross Hugill bundled the ball over the line from a couple of yards out.

Lifted by the equaliser the home fans roared their side forward almost immediately from the restart and Power sent a right-foot drive two yards wide of the post as he dribbled towards the edge of Wanderers’ area.

With Blues now firmly on the back foot the hosts’ defence had seemingly switched off as their forwards searched for another goal, and they showed no interest in tracking the run of Onyedinma as he raced onto Sido Jombati’s hopeful ball into the right-hand channel with five minutes until half-time.

The striker had the freedom of Prenton Park as he bore down on Fon Williams before side-footing the ball under the Welsh ‘keeper to notch his fourth goal in three matches.

Adams had clearly had some strong words to say to his players during the interval and the hosts sprung out of the traps, winning every tackle and trying to bully their way towards goal through imposing journeyman striker Kayode Odejayi.

They were still lacking a spark to complement their endeavour though, and their tendency to let Wanderers attackers run free in their penalty area nearly tripped them up once again ten minutes into the second half.

Wood drifted across to the right-hand side and after turning his man moved into the box after a one-two with Hayes. As the wideman looked to collect the return pass and shoot for goal he was seemingly bought down on the six-yard line and the award of a second penalty seemed a formality.

But to Gareth Ainsworth’s amazement on the touchline Mr Heywood, perhaps fearing the wrath of the home support, waved away Blues appeals and played on.

Forays into the attacking third were few and far between for the hosts and when Jordan Hugill did manage to collect a through ball he could only slice a left-footed effort wide of the upright as Alfie Mawson thundered back to close him down.

Fon Williams was by far the busier ‘keeper and he had to be alert to deal with an effort from Saunders as the winger jinked in from the left and drilled a low shot straight at the stopper.

That was to be the last act of Saunders’ second appearance for Wycombe as Ainsworth made an attacking move by bringing on McClure after 67 minutes.

The striker was trudging down the tunnel less than 60 seconds after his introduction, however, as the referee produced a straight red card for an apparent elbow on Adam Dugdale as the pair jostled for a high ball.

Despite their numerical disadvantage the visitors re-grouped and continued to be the side that was forcing the issue, with Joe Jacobson leaving his defensive post unmanned as he galloped forward to the edge of the area and drilled a left foot shot which was too hot to handle for Fon Williams as he parried it to safety.

Ingram had been a spectator for the majority of the contest but with eight minutes remaining he got down smartly at his near post to turn away a well-struck effort from Dan Gardner which was sneaking inside the upright.

Tranmere then came within inches of snatching a point as Dugdale powered a header goalwards from a corner. The ball had evaded Ingram’s dive and was on its way into the back of the net until Wood stepped across from his position at the back post to head the ball off the line.

Marc Laird forced Ingram into a routine save in the six minutes of injury time, but Blues held on to extend their unbeaten away record to ten games.

Tranmere: Fon Williams, Holmes, Power, Ihiekwe, Odejayi, Hugill (Hume), Laird, Dugdale, Molyneux, Jennings (Kirby), McGahey (Gardner)
Substitutes not used: Ramsbottom, Ridehalgh, Koumas, Thompson
Goals: Hugill 32

Wanderers: Ingram, Jombati, Jacobson, Mawson, Rowe, Bloomfield (Murphy), Wood, Yennaris, Saunders (McClure), Onyedinma (Craig), Hayes
Substitutes not used: Richardson, Ephraim, Holloway, Fletcher
Goals: Hayes 26, Onyedinma 40