Essandoh wins it for Wycombe wonders

LEICESTER CITY 1 - WYCOMBE 2. Referee: S Bennett, Attendance: 21, 969. Wycombe manager Lawrie Sanchez last night admitted that substitute striker Roy Essandoh had answered an SOS Teletext message to become their FA Cup goal hero.

Sanchez, who has six strikers on the injury list, placed the advert for any striker who was not cup-tied to step into the breach.

Irish-born Essandoh, who played with Scottish junior side Cumbernauld United and had spells with Motherwell and East Fife, has been playing abroad. He was the only person to answer the plea, but 10 days later he is a national star after scoring the goal which knocked Leicester out of the cup and sent Wycombe into the last four.

Sanchez said: "We went into the game without any centre forwards. We've got six of them, as you saw at the end, hobbling across the pitch all injured. We borrowed one from Manchester United, George Clegg, who played in the first half. We started with Keith Ryan, a midfielder, up front. And then we put Essandoh on for 10 minutes at the end. He's got his head on a cross and now he's a hero.

"His contract only runs until next Wednesday so I'll have to sit down and have a chat with him.

Sanchez, who scored the winning goal for Wimbledon in their shock FA Cup final win over Liverpool in 1988 added: "I hardly know anything about him. I only met him the Tuesday before last. I'd never heard of him. Roy came to us, played for the reserves, was a sub against Reading on Tuesday and then scored at Leicester. It's some story.

"This really is the glory of the FA Cup. I've said to the players all along that it's a competition for heroes. If you stick your head in the right place suddenly everyone's talking about you."

Essandoh could hardly believe his transformation in fortune and went to the team bus after the game without giving any insight to the massed ranks of media about his dramatic upturn in fortunes.

But Sanchez felt that his team were well worthy of a place in the last four. He said: "We fully deserved the win, despite certain decisions that went against us."

In an explosive second half Sanchez was banished from the dug-out by referee Steve Bennett after he had remonstrated with an assistant referee who failed to spot a clear-cut penalty when Leicester's Stefan Oakes handled a cross.

Sanchez was fuming and said: "I question why referees and linesmen are out there if they are not going to make big decisions. It was a blatant penalty and the referee was less than 15 yards away.

"That sort of decision could have cost this club a million, stopped me from building a team and ended my career as a manager."

Sanchez was also upset that Steve Brown was dismissed for picking up a second yellow card when celebrating the winning goal. He said: "It was another example of too many referees knowing the rules, but not knowing the game."

Leicester manager Peter Taylor was shell-shocked after his side's exit. He said: "It was a very bad day at the office. I will take nothing away from Wycombe, full credit to them."

Essandoh will grab the headlines, but Brown was Wycombe's man of the match with an all-action display in the centre of the park. There were heroes everywhere for the side lying 16th in the Second Division with centre-backs Jason Cousins and Jamie Bates particularly outstanding.

If Leicester had been anticipating an easy ride then they were quickly forced to think again by their Second Division opponents.

The home side were not allowed to settle by a side who had already disposed of Grimsby, Wolves and Wimbledon in the competition.

Brown was quickly making his presence felt and one good break forward ended with a 25-yard shot which flew wide.

Jason Cousins was booked for a crude challenge on Dean Sturridge and it was 20 minutes before Leicester threatened with Martin Taylor saving a header from Robbie Savage.

The Foxes enjoyed a little spell of pressure with former Wycombe player Steve Guppy having a shot blocked by Michael Simpson. Taylor then held on to a rising effort from Muzzy Izzet, but Wanderers were a threat on the break and Simon Royce was forced to turn a low shot from Dannie Bulman around the post.

Brown and Savage were involved in a running battle and both were yellow-carded for fouls on each other in separate incidents.

Wycombe came closest to scoring in first-half injury-time when Royce finger-tipped away a vicious 25-yard volley from Brown, who held his head in disbelief. Andrew Impey also had to produce a perfectly-timed tackle to halt George Clegg.

Then came that dramatic start to the second half as McCarthy put Wycombe in front. It was Brown who sent over the free-kick and McCarthy stooped to send his header wide of Royce.

Leicester tried to retaliate and Taylor held on to an Akinbiyi header from an Oakes free-kick. Wanderers were tiring and, after 68 minutes, Leicester got back on level terms. Taggart found substitute Darren Eadie and his cross was turned into the net by Izzet.

The goalscorer then presented Akinbiyi with a golden chance to put Leicester ahead, but Taylor blocked. It proved to be costly as with only 90 seconds left Essandoh sent the visitors into dreamland.

Wycombe's heroes will pick up just #130 a man win bonus for beating Leicester and reaching the semi-finals.

The players negotiated the after-tax figure in pre-season talks with larger league win pay-outs taking preference. The amount is just under a quarter of what they get for a league win.

Copyright 2001
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