GiveMeSport
·29 November 2023
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·29 November 2023
Wycombe Wanderers goalkeeper Max Stryjek produced a moment to forget in the 91st minute of their League One contest with Barnsley as the latter ran out 1–0 victors. But, in all your years of being a football fan, have you seen anything like this before?
With the score 0-0 going into second half stoppage-time, the match at Oakwell looked to be heading for a stalemate as both sets of managers would’ve been eager for their respective teams to stick to the basics in order not to concede a sloppy goal. Srtyjek, however, had other plans and the 27-year-old’s comical blunder caused a sea of blue shirts to surround referee Darren Drysdale after Barnsley substitute Sam Cosgrove opened and closed the scoring in the 91st minute. With all three points in the bag, the Tykes leapfrog Blackpool, who lost 2-1 to Northampton, all while Wycombe’s disappointing evening now leaves them residing in 15th place in the English third tier.
Despite both managers wanting to keep it calm heading into the final embers, the visiting support – who had made the six-hour round trip to Barnsley – would’ve left feeling deflated given the circumstances of their loss. Moments before, Stryjek was booked for time-wasting by referee Drysdale and was left with the ball at his feet as the official ran away.
A quick-thinking Cosgrove charged down the shot stopper and gave him the slightest of nudges – one that the referee deemed legal – and Stryjek fell to the floor. Upon doing so, he dropped the ball in the striker’s vicinity, and he duly rounded the goalkeeper and slotted home to give the hosts the lead.
At full-time, the 26-year-old goalscorer jokingly claimed his effort on the night was the ‘best goal’ he’d ever scored. He also claimed that Stryjek’s decision to fall to the floor was unjust, which may have ruffled some feathers even further.
‘Just when you think you’ve seen it all on a football pitch’ one X (formerly Twitter) user posted – and we’d be inclined to agree. A moment like this happens once in a blue moon. Check it out for yourselves below.
Bizarre isn't it? Like Brentford shot-stopper Mark Flekken nipping off for a drink seconds before a goal against Duisburg, it really has to be seen to be believed.
With emotions running at an all-time high, the Wycombe players bombarded the referee, which just inflicted more pain. For his reaction to the decision, Wanderers midfielder Harry Boyes was shown a second yellow and the visitors were reduced to ten men for the rest of the affair. Matt Bloomfield, manager of Wycombe, spoke after the game (via MailOnline) about his frustrations at both his goalkeeper and the referee’s decision not to adjudge that as a foul.
“I’ve never seen a goal like it. The circumstances are so disappointing. Usually when a striker runs at a keeper it’s a foul. But at the same time, you’ve got to hold on to the ball. I saw the reaction I wanted from Saturday, but to lose is so frustrating.”
Fans around the stadium were left perplexed by the situation, as were the Wycombe players. In real time, Stryjek looked to appeal for a free-kick but was swiftly ignored by Drysdale, who allowed play to resume and hence why Cosgrove, who joined from Birmingham in September, notched his first goal for his new employers.
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