Gareth Ainsworth hailed Wycombe’s goalless draw with Brentford as a “special” result.
The Chairboys have struggled to deal with the Championship’s established sides on their second tier debut, with a draw against Watford their only point against a top-half team.
But thanks to Ryan Allsop’s acrobatics in goal and determined defending, Ainsworth’s men kept their second clean sheet of the campaign and managed to hold last season’s play-off finalists.
“Thomas Frank has a fantastic team which makes that point really special for us, against a team that will be in that top six or thereabouts come the end of the season,” said Ainsworth.
“Once we got going we broke really well on them, the subs gave us some fresh energy and I think some clinical tackles from Brentford really stopped us with goal-scoring opportunities.
“It’s harsh, I don’t want bookings, but they were real counter-attack stopping tackles.
“Brentford were the better side in the first half and we made a fantastic save with Ryan tipping it on to the post that kept us in the first half.
“There were signs, Scott Kashket had a couple of chances when we did get in that box.
“We knew they would come with a very possession-based system and we had to control that and come up with a plan that made them take a few risks.”
Brentford striker Bryan Mbeumo came closest to a goal when he met Josh Dasilva’s low cross and his scuffed shot was heading into the bottom corner, only for Allsop to turn the ball on to a post with his fingertips.
Mbeumo had another chance as he headed wide from a Sergi Canos cross in the second half, but the hosts dominated the closing stages, with substitute Fred Onyedinma’s cross almost met by the outstretched boot of Adebayo Akinfenwa and fellow substitute Alex Samuel dragging a shot wide.
Brentford boss Thomas Frank said: “I think Wycombe deserve some praise. They made it very difficult for us.
“I think that they pressed us very well and played with a big intensity and they managed to do it throughout the game.
“We didn’t manage to create enough dangerous situations that could have created more chances. We created three big chances and if we take one of them we win.
“We did enough to win the game, but not enough to make 100 per cent sure of that. In the final third I think we lacked that composure, and I just think on the day we just simply didn’t have that flair.
“I think Mbeumo was unlucky today.”
