York City boss believes on-loan Peterborough keeper Bobby Olejnik is too good for League Two

Olejnik starred on his City debut during a 1-0 defeat at table-topping Wycombe Wanderers having signed from Peterborough until the end of the season.

The former Austrian under-21 international pulled off a succession of fine saves to keep the visitors in a game that was settled by Fred Onyedinma’s 47th-minute header. Wilcox confessed afterwards that his team were deservedly defeated but hailed the heroics of Olejnik, saying: “I didn’t want to build Bobby up too much before the game because it can come back to bite you, but he made four absolutely outstanding saves in the first half.

“Everyone saw what a top quality keeper he is and we are delighted to have him at York City. Hopefully, he won’t be as busy in coming weeks but, when he was called upon, he was terrific.

“He’s played more than 90 games in the Championship and League One over the last two seasons and I don’t know why he’s playing in League Two. Only the people at Peterborough can answer that.”

On his first league defeat on the road since taking over from Nigel Worthington as City chief, Wilcox added: “I have no qualms about saying the best team won.

“Bobby kept us in the game in the first half and, while we huffed and puffed a bit, we didn’t create too many opportunities. You also have to give Wycombe credit for that because you could see why they are top of the league.

“Gareth Ainsworth has got them going and, on that showing, they can stay up there. I’ve told the players they are the benchmark that we have got to get to or close to if we can.

“I’m still disappointed, though, with our start. We had nothing to fear but we looked a bit nervous.

“We weren’t bright from the off, which we have been recently and couldn’t get a grip on the game. They created lots of pressure and we were hanging in there, so it was great that we got in level at half-time because we didn’t deserve to be.

“We were a bit better in the second half and it was more even. We had a couple of half-chances but I’m disappointed with their goal because we had dealt with the first ball into the box.

“We then didn’t mark at the far post for the second one in and it was a simple goal for their lad.” Wilcox also felt his players struggled to combat the hosts’ 4-3-3 formation, getting bogged down in the middle of the park for long spells.

“We didn’t seem to understand their shape with the holding midfielder in a 4-3-3,” he pointed out. “We tried to play through the middle a lot when the space was out wide.

“I wanted our full backs to motor on and, while we did that once or twice, we didn’t do it enough and their system worked better than ours during the first half.”

Wilcox went on to admit that the squad missed Diego De Girolamo’s ability to conjure up something out of the ordinary.

The Minstermen remain keen to bring the Sheffield United striker back to Bootham Crescent after his latest loan spell lapsed last weekend and Wilcox reasoned: “I would have liked to have had Diego to start or bring off the bench because, when you have his quality in the group during tight games, it can give you that something extra special which you need in League Two.

“Nigel Clough is making noises that he wants Diego to come back to us, so I’m hoping he will. He wasn’t in their squad today, which is a bit disappointing, but we fully respect that he’s a Sheffield United player and Nigel has been first class throughout our dealings with Diego.”

City skipper Russell Penn made way for striker Carlton Morris at Adams Park, after Josh Carson had earlier been replaced by Lindon Meikle.

Explaining the reasoning behind both substitutions, the Minstermen boss said: “Russ took a whack and was limping around a bit, but we also switched because we needed a goal and wanted to get as many offensive players on as possible. Josh was on a yellow and the last thing we needed was another sending off, so it was a straight swap and Lindon worked them hard with his pace.”