Blues’ progress this season under boss Chris Davies has been like a relentless juggernaut, knocking off each challenge by the week with seemingly routine monotony against determined opponents who have almost all given them a real game.
Beaten only twice in the league, at Charlton in October and fired-up bottom club Shrewsbury Town in Gareth Ainsworth’s first game in charge in November, they are now unbeaten in 18 League One matches.
In fact, it would actually be a surprise if they have not already wrapped up promotion (and possiby the title too) by the time they head for Wembley on 13 April to face Darren Ferguson’s Peterborough United (and their old boss Barry Fry) in the EFL Trophy final, when both they and fellow twice winners Posh have a chance to equal Bristol City’s record for most wins.
But, while it has generally been a route march through League One, Saturday’s winner against Wycombe was pure ‘route one’.
A long punt straight downfield by goalkeeper Ryan Alsop saw Gardner-Hickman time his run down the inside-left channel before controlling superbly on his chest and powering a stinging right-foot volley which keeper Will Norris could only parry into the net.
And the 23-year-old admitted that it was all part of a plan.
“Wycombe are very hard to break down,” he said, “But we’d looked at that in training and worked on it. We’d seen they do leave gaps down the middle and we exploited it.
“Ryan’s been playing balls like that all season. He deserves an assist and I’m just glad to get him one.”
Having got both his goals in a more advanced role than he was used to in his more defensive early days with Albion, the Shropshire lad, who can also play at full-back, has become even more of a utility player.
“This latest role is a left-side wide attacking midfielder, but I feel I can almost play anywhere and I like to think I’ve proved that,” Gardner-Hickman said, with Blues confirming in February they will make his loan move from Bristol City into a permanent deal this summer.
“But really I’m just happy to play where the gaffer wants me to. And I’m just so glad they took the opportunity to sign me.”
