By Matt Cecil 

Wanderers returned to winning ways with a fine professional performance against Morecambe, with strikers Scott McGleish and John Sutton bagging the goals which move the Blues up to within a point of the play-offs ahead of Saturday's fixtures.

The feel-good factor returned to Adams Park on a special Community evening as the Blues showed no signs of sulking after last week's disappointment, and dominated proceedings throughout against a Morecambe side who arrived in South Bucks on the back of three straight victories.

Captain David McCracken returned to the side after missing the past four matches with a calf strain, and Tommy Doherty was unavailable for the Blues after the birth of his baby daughter early this morning. Meanwhile, Craig Woodman made his first start for the club since the first week of the season as Paul Lambert attempted to right the wrongs of last Saturday.

And it certainly paid off. Wanderers could have been forgiven for making a nervy start to the clash but they burst into life, creating a number of chances as Morecambe simply couldn't compete with the rampant Blues.

With Matt Bloomfield and Sergio Torres pulling the strings in midfield, Scott McGleish and John Sutton saw plenty of the ball in the opening exchanges, with the former seeing a shot saved at the near post after six minutes.

Bloomfield then provided further evidence of his attacking prowess, which has certainly become more prominent this season, when he worked himself an opening inside the box on eleven minutes before shooting at Shrimpers keeper Joe Lewis.

The Wanderers faithful clearly liked what they had seen and made plenty of noise as the team continued playing some fine football, and their loudest cheer of the half arrived in the 19th minute when Scott McGleish opened the scoring.

Russell Martin, who was a constant threat when bombing forward from his right-back position, delivered a perfect cross towards the back post where McGleish leapt highest to send a looping effort into the top corner. What the striker lacks in height he makes up for in agility, and the quality of the header was worthy of gracing a higher level of football than League Two.

It was certainly no more than the Wanderers deserved and, most encouragingly of all, they weren't content to sit back and defend their lead. Within a minute visiting midfielder Craig Stanley was booked for a late tackle on Craig Woodman, and midfield duo Matt Bloomfield and Gary Holt both came close with strikes from distance as Blues continued to pour on the pressure.

However, Morecambe weren't simply there to make up the numbers, and a moment of class from Carl Baker on 33 minutes almost pulled them back into the game. After Frank Fielding had raced from his goal to head away a dangerous through-ball, the Shrimpers' top scorer sent an excellent dipping volley towards the top corner which Fielding did well to tip over the bar.

But it proved to be a false dawn for the visitors as Wycombe regained the momentum and looked to build on their lead.

Sergio Torres, who was never out of action for long despite suffering a dead leg in the week, launched a counter-attack after Gary Holt had cleared a 39th minute corner. Torres jinked past a couple of white shirts before cutting back on the edge of the box and laying the ball off to Matt Bloomfield, whose curling shot was too close to the keeper.

Five minutes later, the dominant Wanderers almost made it 2-0 before half-time when John Sutton came agonisingly close with a fine shot from inside the penalty area. A cross from wide fell to the former St Mirren striker and he lashed an effort inches over the crossbar as the half drew to a close.

Half-time: Wycombe Wanderers 1-0 Morecambe

Wanderers picked up where they left off in the first half by taking the game to the visitors in the opening stages of the second period, with Scott McGleish firing an effort against the post after 48 minutes. Once again it was John Sutton who created the chance, with his knockdown from a long ball resulting in McGleish sending a volley against the woodwork with the keeper beaten.

It was a similar story seven minutes later when David McCracken was inches away from opening his Blues account. The Scot had an excellent game in defence for the Wanderers and almost put the icing on the cake when he diverted Matt Bloomfield's low cross against the bar.

Morecambe simply couldn't cope with the Blues' rampant attack and manager Sammy McIlroy reacted by making two changes, bringing on Garry Thompson and Matt Blinkhorn for Garry Hunter and Jon Newby.

Probably the only blot on the Blues' copybook came in the shape of a needless yellow card for David McCracken on the hour mark, when the defender went into the book for kicking the ball away after conceding a throw-in.

But that was soon forgotten when John Sutton doubled the lead on 68 minutes with a fabulous finish from inside the box. Sam Stockley's cross from wide was superbly controlled by the summer signing and Sutton smashed the ball past the keeper with his left foot to provide further evidence of just why Paul Lambert was so happy to land the striker in July.

And it could have been more than two. Craig Woodman shot wide from the edge of the box when he probably should have tested the keeper, although the former Bristol City man put in a fine performance on the left-hand side of midfield as he looks to cement a place in the starting XI.

Martin Bullock and Stefan Oakes were then introduced to the action, replacing Craig Woodman and Matt Bloomfield, while Morecambe swapped Michael Twiss for Wayne Curtis in search for a path back into the game.

But there was never really any chance that the match could descend into a repeat of Hereford's late comeback two weeks ago as Wycombe looked like adding to their tally. Scott McGleish saw a shot blocked after being set free by a pass from Oakes, and Stefan himself then had a chance to get in on the act with a shot which flashed wide.

David Artell almost grabbed a consolation when his last minute header was saved on the line by Frank Fielding but, apart from that effort and Carl Baker's first half shot, Morecambe rarely looked like troubling Frank Fielding in the Wycombe goal.

The referee's final whistle was greeted by cheers from all corners of Adams Park as Wanderers fans rejoiced in a fine performance from their side ahead of a hectic Christmas period, starting against Macclesfield at Adams Park next Saturday.

Wycombe: Fielding, Stockley, McCracken, Johnson, Woodman (Oakes 80), Martin, Bloomfield (Bullock 77), Holt, Torres, McGleish, Sutton.
Subs Not Used: Boucaud, Christon, Rice.

Booked: McCracken.

Goals: McGleish 19, Sutton 69.

Morecambe: Lewis, Yates, Adams, Artell, Bentley, Stanley, Baker, Allen, Hunter (Thompson 57), Newby (Blinkhorn 57), Twiss (Curtis 79).
Subs Not Used: Scott Davies, Sorvel.

Booked: Stanley.

Att: 3,821

Referee: Andy Penn (W Midlands).

Man Of The Match: Scott McGleish