Town's battlers get their rewards

The veteran defender flung himself head-first into a melee of players as Giuliano Grazioli's volley crashed off the bar.

The fact that Reeves was first to reach it speaks volumes about Andy King's Swindon Town. They have heart and commitment.

Down to ten men, losing 1-0 against a side in the top six, and not playing at their best, things looked doomed for Town as the fourth official held up the board to show there were five minutes of injury time to play.

Town had battled and scrapped their way through a tough 90 minutes already. There had not been the goals or the chances of Tuesday's 3-1 win over Cambridge. Indeed, efforts on goal had been at a premium and there had been little for the home fans to shout about as the 90th minute ticked by.

The sending-off of keeper Bart Griemink, for handling outside his area in the 60th minute, seemed destined to steal all the headlines as Wycombe held on for what seemed to be a third away win of the season.

Many fans had already left the ground when a deep, hopeful punt was aimed into the Wycombe box.

Substitute Grazioli swivelled on the six-yard box, made a great connection and volleyed a shot goalward.

The whole crowd held its breath as the ball beat Martin Taylor, crashed against the bar and rebounded into the night sky.

It seemed to take an age for the ball to drop.

But when it did it was that man Reeves who was first to meet it.

The defender, who has scored so many important goals already this season, bundled the ball into the empty net.

Like a cork being popped from a champagne bottle, the crowd erupted in scenes of joy.

This had not been a game for the purists. It was hardly a game for the football fan. But it was a game that ended in high drama and sent the Town fans home smiling for the second match in the space of a week.

After the midweek success against Cambridge, caretaker boss King had recalled Sol Davis and Bobby Howe to the side and they started well, passing the ball about neatly with a sense of attacking purpose.

They could have gone ahead in the seventh minute when Ian Woan swung over a dangerous cross from the right wing that almost caught Taylor off guard as he was forced to scramble back and claw the ball away from under his bar.

The County Ground was buzzing with the prospect of Town following on from their mid-week success.

But their good start was ruined by a bolt out of the blue two minutes later from Wycombe striker Andy Rammell.

The former Walsall hit-man lashed a left foot strike into the net after a deep corner from the left had been partially cleared by Davis.

His first-time effort left Griemink grasping thin air and shocked the home fans into stunned silence.

Suddenly there was a different atmosphere around the ground as Town fans wondered if the bubble had burst and if King's boys could come back from such an early body blow. It certainly knocked the stuffing out of them as the bright start dimmed.

Wycombe were causing problems with their pacy duo of Jermaine McSporran and Daniel Senda up front and they were looking solid at the back.

But Wycombe's game is based around organisation and strength. As you would expect from a side managed by former Wimbledon star Lawrie Sanchez, they don't often get the ball down and play decent football.

It was hardly the sort of game for new County Ground hero Danny Invincible to show off his new-found shooting boots either.

Four goals in two games before this match, he was heavily marked all afternoon and when he did get the space to run at the visitors he often tried to do too much and snapped at his opportunity.

Wycombe created the better chances.

Griemink had to beat away a low strike from Paul McCarthy in the 17th minute after a well-worked corner routine caused problems and then McSporran ghosted past Mark Robinson before firing a shot into Reeves.

Woan did try to bring Town back into the match with a display of assured passing. He seems to have time on the ball and is always a danger at dead-balls.

His free-kick in the 24th minute almost drew Town level but Taylor made a good stop low to his left.

Griemink made another good save just before the break when McSporran again used his pace to good effect as he broke down the right and shot across goal. The keeper palmed his effort away and Michael Simpson could only put the rebound wide at the far post.

The second half started in much the same vein but the turning point came on the hour when Griemink was shown the red card.

A long through ball from Wycombe's Martyn Lee seemed to be trundling through to the Town keeper without any real danger.

Rammell was closing in on the ball but Griemink came out quickly, gathered the ball and there seemed no problem.

However, referee Pugh was called over to speak with his assistant linesman and they both agreed that the Town number one had handled outside his area.

Griemink was shown an immediate red card and Town were down to ten men.

It looked a harsh decision, especially as the linesman was not completely up with play at the time. But Griemink walked and Steve Mildenhall donned the gloves, with Bobby Howe making way.

The decision had whipped the crowd up and the players suddenly seemed to find an extra gear as the game started to pick up.

Mildenhall made a great double save from the resulting free-kick, blocking Lee's initial effort and then jumping up to claim

the rebound off Senda's header.

But from then on it was all Town as they threw caution to the wind and went for the equaliser.

Invincible found space to run in the 68th minute but after getting into a decent shooting position his strike was blocked for a corner.

Nonetheless, it had served to excite the crowd and they were now on the edge of their seats, willing Town forward.

Martin Williams flashed a diving header wide of the target from a Robinson cross and then, when another quality Woan corner was nodded down by Reeves, there was no Town player on hand to hook the ball in.

Williams again just missed out in the 77th minute when a long free-kick skidded off the grass and eluded him at the far post. Then defender Antoine van der Linden saw an effort go narrowly wide in the 80th.

Van der Linden had been pushed up front to add extra height to the forward line as King switched things around for the final 10 minute onslaught.

Martin Williams was replaced by Grazioli and Mark Robertson came on for Davis.

When Grazioli headed over a great chance in 90th minute it looked all but over for the red army.

But the little number ten has a habit of being in the right place at the right time and when the long ball was pumped forward in the second minute of injury time he was poised and ready to fire it goalward.

The rest was down to the

bar and that other legendary goalscorer Alan Reeves.