DESPITE a classy debut by on-loan Posh keeper Bobby Olejnik, York City went down 1-0 at a well-heeled Wycombe Wanderers team.
Within 12 minutes of his first start, Peterborough exile Olejnik was the subject of hero worship for the travelling City fans, who had changed the words of well-known hymn Kumbaya in his honour.
By then, the former Austrian Under-21 international had made two fine saves to deny eventual match-winner Fred Onyedinma and Marcus Bean.
He did not stop there, however, as his interventions became more and more breathtaking, diving to his left to keep out an Aaron Pierre header and then kicking away a close-range Onyedinma effort – all in front of his new disciples.
Olejnik’s heroics kept the dominant table-topping hosts, who were without leading marksman Paul Hayes and departed Sky Bet League Two Player of the Month Paris-Cowan Hall, at bay during a one-sided first half.
He was eventually beaten by on-loan Millwall teenager Onyedinma on 47 minutes as City lost a league game on the road for the first time since Russ Wilcox took charge in mid-October.
The 28-year-old net-minder would go on to thwart Onyedinma in the second half during another one-on-one situation and, throughout the match, Olejnik was positive, brave and quick to anticipate and snuff out danger.
With his remarkable reflexes and big presence, the ex-Aston Villa reserve certainly set a high standard during his maiden Minstermen outing.
It was just a shame that his team-mates could not match the level of performance that had seen them unbeaten in four matches prior to the Adams Park trip.
As Wilcox honestly recognised, however, the hosts played a significant role in that inability to reproduce recent form.
The Chairboys’ three-man midfield swamped City’s on-song duo Russell Penn and Luke Summerfield, while young centre-backs Pierre and Alfie Mawson, aged 21 and 20 respectively, snuffed out the threat of visiting strikers Jake Hyde and Wes Fletcher.
After left-back Femi Ilesanmi almost uprooted a corner flag following an ambitious 35-yard attempt and Hyde glanced wide with his head from Michael Coulson’s corner, Wycombe took control of first-half proceedings.
On six minutes, Coulson inadvertently played in Onyedinma but Olejnik smothered his eight-yard shot.
AT FULL TILT: Femi Illesanmi races for the ball
Bean then escaped Josh Carson’s attentions as City’s defence parted following Aaron Holloway’s flick-on only for Olejnik to thwart him by making himself a big target.
Onyedinma went on to fire high into the sidenetting and Sam Wood’s 25-yard half volley whistled over after Marvin McCoy had blocked a goalbound Peter Murphy effort.
After 24 minutes, Olejnik threw himself to his left to keep out Pierre’s powerful downward header from Joe Jacobson’s corner before brief respite was provided by a far-post Keith Lowe volley that cleared Matt Ingram’s crossbar after the home keeper had failed to collect Coulson’s flag kick.
But Olejnik was busy again before the break, gathering a long-range Craig Mawson drive after the on-loan Brentford defender had neatly sidestepped a Penn challenge and showing smart reactions and improvisation to kick away a close-range Onyedinma chance after Jacobson’s left-wing cross had been allowed to travel across the face of his six-yard box.
Onyedinma eventually claimed his second goal in as many matches with the first chance of the second half, created down the left flank.
After John McCombe had initially headed away Jacobson’s cross, Wood volleyed the ball back in to the far post where the Lions’ cub was lurking unmarked and headed beyond Olejnik’s outstretched left arm.
OFF TARGET: York's Jake Hyde fires wide
Josh Carson, shortly after being booked for a late lunge at Josh Scowen, called Ingram into his first save of the afternoon on 57 minutes but the Northern Ireland international’s 15-yard attempt lacked power and Wycombe continued to threaten.
Former QPR midfielder Bean dragged an edge-of-the-box shot wide following an explosive forward burst and Olejnik used his feet again after Onyedinma had charged on to a Murphy through ball.
The visitors’ best spell followed when ex-Wycombe right-back McCoy’s deflected 30-yard strike was clawed away by Ingram and Hyde swivelled to miss the target from close in after Lowe had met Summerfield’s corner with his head.
Substitute Lindon Meikle also fired narrowly wide from 20 yards but it was the Buckinghamshire club that came closest to adding to the scoreline during the latter stages.
Onyedinma tormented Ilesanmi before testing Olejnik at his near post and, in stoppage time, sped away from the City left back and Lowe but shot off target.
MATCH STATS
STAR MAN Olejnik 9 – set the bar high on his debut with an all-action performance that kept Wycombe at bay during a one-side first half
McCoy 7 – defended with determination against his former team and called Ingram into his best save of the game
Lowe 7 – provided his customary attacking threat at set-pieces and kept a level head under intense pressure
McCombe 7 – read the game well in general and cleared his lines in no-nonsense fashion
Ilesanmi 6 – given problems by Onyedinma’s trickery and rarely got forward down the left flank
Coulson 6 – struggled to pose a threat in open play and didn’t trouble home keeper Ingram
Penn 6 – could not get a stranglehold on the game as he has been doing in recent times
Summerfield 6 – seen very little as an attacking or creative force and all of his work was done far from the home box
Carson 6 – fully committed but did not get into crossing positions to hurt the Wycombe defence
Hyde 6 – found it hard to hold off home centre-backs Mawson and Pierre during a testing 90 minutes
Fletcher 7 – never stopped trying to turn and run at the Wycombe defence but to little avail
Subs: Lindon Meikle 7 – positive (for Carson, 68), Carlton Morris (for Penn, 80).
Subs not used: Jason Mooney, Tom Platt, Lewis Montrose, Dave Winfield, Anthony Straker.
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