Wycombe Wanderers 2-0 Carlisle United: Andresson sent off in defeat

The keeper saw red for his challenge on Sam Vokes outside the box after the striker had crept up behind him to steal the ball in a major first-half incident.

Carlisle brought on Tomas Holy but the substitute soon had to pick the ball out of the net after Paul Huntington was adjudged to have fouled Garath McCleary and Luke Leahy converted the resulting penalty.

United's ten men could have levelled after the break through Sam Lavelle, but Vokes then finished them off 15 minutes from time.

The defeat left Paul Simpson's side still without an away win this season as they remain 19th in the League One table.

The focus was on ten critical first-half minutes as United, after weathering strong Wycombe pressure, then lost their keeper as he failed to notice Vokes behind him when rolling the ball out to make a clearance.

He will now be suspended for Tuesday's visit of Peterborough United. Carlisle, meanwhile, disputed Wycombe's penalty but Leahy sent them on their way to back-to-back 2-0 defeats.

Leahy celebrates the opening Wycombe goal (Image: Barbara Abbott)

United boss Simpson named an unchanged XI and the same subs from last weekend's home defeat to Derby County.

Corey Whelan had recovered from illness in order to take his place on the bench at Adams Park.

Wycombe boss Matt Bloomfield, meanwhile, recalled ex-Blues defender Richard Keogh to their back line in place of Joe Low, who was on the bench after illness, while midfielder Jasper Pattenden was given his first league start in place of the sidelined David Wheeler.

Four members of the Piatak family - Jenna, Tom II, Alice and Nick - were in the away end among 405 Blues fans ahead of their prospective takeover, and United legend and ex-Wycombe boss John Gorman was a special guest at the game.

Things got under way with an early Wycombe chance as a McCleary cross found Pattenden at the far post, but he could only turn and shoot over the bar.

Carlisle came under pressure as things unfolded, the Blues struggling to string enough passes together to gain an attacking foothold.

Wycombe sent set-pieces into United territory and a further delivery found Keogh at the far post, with his finish blocked - and, from the resulting corner, Chris Forino headed against the outside of the post.

A rare Blues foray saw Jordan Gibson's ball over the top pick out Luke Plange and he lofted the chance over keeper Max Stryjek and onto the roof of the net.

But it was otherwise all Wycombe, as Brandon Hanlan was denied at the near post by Lavelle before Forino was again thwarted.

Owen Moxon takes on Jasper Pattenden (Image: Barbara Abbott)

Vokes, an aerial threat as he dropped into spaces to link attacks, failed to finish cleanly from a good position on the edge of the box.

But the experienced frontman was then at the heart of the half's major incident as he crept up from behind Andresson as the keeper rolled the ball out.

The Iceland international was unaware of the striker despite shouts from Blues fans behind him, and then he scrambled to close down Vokes as the striker turned to finish - and was duly penalised for his challenge outside the box, Andresson also appearing to handle the ball as Vokes went down.

Ref Scott Tallis produced a straight red card, forcing United to readjust, sub keeper Holy cheered onto the field by travelling fans with Plange the player sacrificed by Simpson.

The Czech's first job was to watch a Leahy free-kick go sailing wide, and United then almost took the lead when a counter-attack dropped to Fin Back, who struck the outside of the post.

But five minutes later and Holy found himself facing a penalty after the dangerous McCleary got the better of Huntington, who was adjudged to have tripped him near the byline.

United were furious with the decision but Leahy sent Holy the wrong way to put the Chairboys in front.

Sean Maguire is denied (Image: Barbara Abbott)

And it was almost two soon after when an attack down the right cut Carlisle open, only for Back to time his challenge well to deny Vokes.

And Harry Boyes then went close for the home side moments before the interval.

Simpson made a half-time readjustment which saw Joe Garner into the attack and defender Huntington the man replaced.

Callum Guy shot over from 30 yards as United looked for a way back, before Vokes headed over from a good position for Wycombe.

Gibson saw an attempt blocked while Garner failed to make the most of a back-post opportunity as Carlisle worked a couple of useful positions.

United then survived a Vokes chance which Holy saved and then broke, twice almost getting back on terms.

First, Maguire dashed into the box but was denied by a last-ditch challenge and then, from the resulting Moxon corner, Lavelle looked set to score but headed wide.

United's ten men remained on the attack in search of an equaliser, Maguire testing Wycombe's defence and Moxon hit the wall with a free-kick.

Gibson almost found space to score in the 68th minute but saw his effort blocked after he dropped the shoulder in the Chairboys' box.

United still seemed in with a shout - but then saw their hopes extinguished by Wycombe's second goal.

Lavelle had initially done well to block a Hanlan effort but Vokes then received the ball with his back to the defender and managed to turn enough to fire a shot low past Holy and into the bottom corner.

Bloomfield responded with a triple substitution as the hosts looked to consolidate their two-goal lead, while Simpson sent on Terry Ablade for Maguire for the closing stages.

Carlisle, though, seldom looked like finding a way back from here, Alfie McCalmont and Jack Robinson making late appearances from the bench as the Blues fell in Buckinghamshire.

Wycombe: Stryjek, Forino (Low 67), Leahy, Keogh, Scowen, Potts, Boyes, Pattenden (De Barr 83), McCleary (Sadlier 75), Vokes (Taylor 75), Hanlan (Phillips 75). Not used: Ravizzoli, Tafazolli.

Goals: Leahy 39pen, Vokes 74.

Booked: Strjek, Forino.

United: Andresson, Lavelle, Huntington (Garner 46), Mellish, Back, Armer, Guy, Moxon (McCalmont 87), Gibson (Robinson 87), Maguire (Ablade 78), Plange (Holy 32). Not used Edmondson, Whelan.

Booked: Moxon. Sent off: Andresson.

Ref: Scott Tallis.

Crowd: 5,499 (405 United fans).