Wycombe Wanderers 3-1 Peterborough United: FLW reports as Richard Kone scores 9-minute hat-trick | OneFootball

All the action from Adams Park as Wycombe Wanderers faced Peterborough United.

Wycombe Wanderers beat Peterborough United 3–1 thanks to an extraordinary 9-minute hat-trick from Richard Kone.

Dan Harvie had the first chance of the match after four minutes. His one-two with Aaron Morley from a free-kick allowed the left-back to curl in a shot. It was almost Joe Jacobson-esque as his shot nearly found the far corner.

Wycombe then had a flurry of chances via Caleb Taylor's header and Garath McCleary's shot which Posh were just about equal to. The home side looked the most likely to break the deadlock.

Peterborough struggled in possession, with Wycombe turning over the ball plenty of times. Sloppy passages of play saw the frustration among the travelling fans begin to grow.

The opening half an hour was all one-way traffic. The visitors looked disjointed and sloppy in possession, but Wycombe were yet to punish them. Josh Scowen picked up a knock in a 50/50 which required treatment. Fortunately, he was able to pick himself back up and continue with the game.

Donay O'Brien-Brady was the first player in the book, after smashing into Fred Onyedinma right in front of the home dugout.

A real let off for the hosts then came, as they afforded Kwame Poku an inch and he almost went a mile by getting in behind. His square pass was fortunately scrambled to safety before Malik Mothersille could tap home.

It was almost a role reversal at the end of the first half, as Posh were on the front foot. Franco Ravizzoli had to produce three excellent saves to keep the score at 0-0.

Referee Lee Swaby spared the blushes of Emmanuel Fernandez when Onyedinma spun him inside-out from a long ball forward. The man in the middle gave it as a foul on the defender, much to the disapproval of the home support.

There were no goals at the 45-minute interval, with both sides having plenty of chances but nothing to show for it. An interesting second-half was anticipated under the afternoon sunshine at Adams Park.

Ferguson shuffled his deck at half-time. The booked O'Brien-Brady was replaced by Ryan De-Havilland. Wycombe were attacking the home terrace in the second half, looking to give those fans behind the goal something to celebrate.

Peterborough took the lead early on though. Far too easy from Wycombe, as Poku beat Harvie and his low cross was tapped in by Ricky-Jade Jones. Ravizzoli was left scrambling across the deck.

Posh had Wycombe boxed into their own half, with endless waves of pressure coming. It was almost a total reversal of the run of play in the first half.

Bloomfield had to spice it up to avoid a first defeat in seven games. Richard Kone and Luke Leahy came on in place of Onyedinma and Cam Humphreys.

Kone would prove to have the impact that was desired, as his first touch brought the Chairboys level. A McCleary cross was taken down exquisitely by the Ivorian. His shot cannoned off multiple legs and beat Jed Steer. A masterful substitution by Bloomfield.

It would get even better, as he added his second just minutes later to give Wycombe the lead. A looping header deceived Steer, as he tried to claw it out. He couldn't get back in time and the Ivorian was on a hat-trick after four minutes on the pitch.

He'd get that first EFL hat-trick just five minutes later, when Emmanuel Fernandez handled in the box. Lee Swabey pointed to the spot and handed the defender a second yellow card, leaving Ferguson's men down to ten.

Kone stepped up and slotted home, as Wycombe now had a two-goal buffer along with their extra man. A first hat-trick for the man who was playing in the Essex Senior League this time last year. Swabey was the referee when Kone bagged his first ever league goal against Fleetwood Town in January 2024.

Posh would hit the post through Archie Collins in their pursuit of salvaging something from the game. Wycombe introduced Gideon Kodua and Tyreeq Bakinson for Scowen and McCleary, who were both excellent.

The hosts were happy to knock the ball around for the rest of the game, seeing through seven minutes of stoppages to cruise home to a 3-1 win. The term super-sub was just many of the superlatives to describe the magnificent Kone. The 21-year-old now has eight goals in 15 appearances in all competitions.

Wycombe now have four home wins in a row, and have ascended to third in League One behind just Wrexham and Birmingham City. Peterborough slip to 13th, after another miserable afternoon in Buckinghamshire for the EFL Trophy holders.

Player ratings

Wycombe Wanderers

Benji Walker (@benjiwalkerphoto)

F. Ravizzoli - 7

J. Grimmer - 8

C. Taylor - 8

J. Low - 7

D. Harvie - 6

A. Morley - 8 (Substituted with M. Butcher 90+1')

J. Scowen - 8 (Substituted with T. Bakinson 81')

C. Humphreys - 6 (Substituted with L. Leahy 61')

G. McCleary - 8 (Substituted with G. Kodua 81')

D. Udoh - 7

F. Onyedinma - 6 (Substituted with R. Kone 61')

Substitutes:

R. Kone - 10

L. Leahy - 7

T. Bakinson - 6

G. Kodua - 6

M. Butcher - N/A

Peterborough United

J. Steer - 5

J. Dornelly - 6 (Substituted with S. Curtis 72')

E. Fernandez - 3 (Sent off 71')

O. Wallins - 5 (Substituted with A. Odoh 82')

J. Sparkes - 5

D. O'Brien-Brady - 5 (Substituted with R. De-Havilland 45')

A. Collins - 6

K. Poku - 8 (Substituted with C. Hayes 82')

J. Randall - 6

M. Mothersille - 5 (Substituted with G. Nevett 72')

R. Jones - 7

Substitutes:

R. De-Havilland - 6

S. Curtis - 6

G. Nevett - 6

A. Odoh - 6

C. Hayes - 6

Matt Bloomfield reacts as Wycombe Wanderers defeat Peterborough

Benji Walker (@benjiwalkerphoto)

Speaking to the press after the match, Wycombe boss Bloomfield said: “We’re making baby steps in terms of the team that we want to become as we’re still evolving, so credit to them for the work they put in.

“We didn’t have a game last Saturday, but you wouldn’t think it based on the work effort they put in training.

“They were brilliant on Tuesday and Wednesday, and the group that went to QPR were intense with their work.

“Peterborough are a top team in our division, and we had three very good games against them last season, so I knew that it was going to be a good game today.

“We knew that we needed to be on top, and we’re pleased with the outcome.”

Speaking to the Bucks Free Press, Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson didn't hold anything back when assessing his side, saying: “This is not good enough, and we need to be honest here.

“We’re failing miserably at the moment in terms of one part of the pitch in particular, but it is my responsibility to improve.

“It’s not plain sailing as a manager, but you need to find that desire and find a way to continue putting in that extra work.

“Sometimes it is about the desire in keeping the ball out of the net and the first goal we conceded was appalling.

“We need to be honest here, we are way off.

“If you keep conceding three goals a game, you’re going to be in trouble.”