An early long-range effort from Will Vaulks was enough to separate Wycombe Wanderers and Sheffield Wednesday, as the Owls took all three points at Adams Park. 

The former Cardiff City man put Wednesday in front inside the first 15 minutes of the game, to move Darren Moore's side to within three points of League One leaders Plymouth Argyle after the Pilgrims only managed a point at third placed Ipswich Town. 

Wycombe remain seventh despite the defeat, two points of sixth placed Barnsley. The defeat for Gareth Ainsworth's side was their first home loss since the end of October. 

  • Gareth Ainsworth backs Owls as champions

 

Ainsworth spoke to the media after the game, and believes his side have been defeated by the eventual champions of League One:

“I think we’ve just played the champions’, he said.

“They’re a very good side with players missing. We put so much pressure on them, especially second half,  and I'm hoping they give us and say that was their toughest game for a while.

“They're tougher than they were last year. They've got this way of winning. It’s a worldie goal that’s separated the two teams today, I think a point would've been fair for us."

Will Vaulk's strike from outside the box found the top corner and would go on to be the only goal in a tight affair in Buckinghamshire:

"That goal is good enough to win any game, from Vaulks goes in the top corner.

"Max Strjek's made some great saves, we've outpossed them outpassed them, just wasn't going to happen for us today.”

 

Sheffield Wednesday are unbeaten in all competitions since the start of October, where they were beat by current league leaders Plymouth. 

The Owls have a game in hand on the Pilgrims at the top, whilst also having the best goal difference in the third tier. 

Darren Moore has also formed the best defence in the league having only conceded 18 goals in League One this season. Despite injuries in defence and Mark McGuinness returning to Cardiff City after his loan spell, the Owls still managed a clean sheet against an inform Wycombe side. 

Ainsworth gave credit to the visitors for their display and how they setup at Adams Park: 

"You've got to give credit to Sheffield Wednesday, they've done their homework, they've stopped us playing.”

Chairboys boss proud of performance 

"I'm proud of that performance, I don't think we're far off at all from being a contender for these play-offs, and I do think Sheffield Wednesday will get promoted as champions”, said Ainsworth.

”I think they're a really good side.

 

"Some of their players have come off and said 'you are the toughest team we've played' and that's big compliments.

"We just came up short, a goal would've been fantastic, we didn't really trouble their keeper as much as I wanted to, we got into that final third so many times, we just didn't get that final shot off. That happens in football sometimes.

"We take it on the chin and we go again next week away at Bristol Rovers, but really proud of the boys.”

The Chairboys face the Gas next week on January 21, at 15:00 GMT, as they look to bounce back swiftly in their trip to the Memorial Stadium.