SUPER strikes by Jordan Rhodes and Theo Robinson sealed a valuable victory.
And if Town can follow up their win at Wycombe by beating Oldham at the Galpharm tomorrow, it will have been a happy Easter for Lee Clark and Co.
The manager was understandably frustrated by another failure to keep a clean sheet as Dean Keates’ 73rd-minute header robbed him of what he termed his “relaxation time”.
But at least his side restricted the chances of an equaliser, with the only worrying moment two minutes into stoppage time, when Kevin McLeod’s low shot took a nasty deflection before Alex Smithies smothered.
Town were given a standing ovation by their supporters, who gave superb vocal backing throughout and were delighted by a second successive away win and a return to the play-off zone.
It was Rhodes and Robinson who clinched the victory at Brisbane Road, and they were back to their old tricks in leafy Buckinghamshire.
Rhodes’ 21st goal of the season, from an overhead kick in the 22nd minute, was especially timely, because it took the sting out of Wycombe’s early energy.
The concession of a free-kick by Matt Harrold, who fouled Peter Clarke, gave Danny Drinkwater the chance to loft the ball into the danger zone.
Clarke flicked it on then joined forces with Robinson to pressurise the Wycombe defence, with the ball falling to Michael Collins.
When his initial shot struck teammate Clarke and rebounded back, Rhodes reacted smartly to the midfielder’s header by hooking home left footed.
It was a top finish by the 20-year-old, who has scored in three successive games, and Town, who had already tested on-loan Manchester United keeper Tom Heaton through Robinson, with a header, and Lee Peltier, with a low shot, continued to push forward.
Neal Trotman headed against the bar from Anthony Pilkington’s 36th-minute corner – Rhodes’ follow-up shot was blocked – then in first-half stoppage time, Robinson threatened.
Centre-back Adam Hinshelwood’s slip let the Town man in one-on-one with Heaton, who did well to block, with Pilkington’s shot hitting a defender before Drinkwater’s drive was deflected for a corner.
Robinson was no doubt pondering that miss over his half-time tea, but he made amends on the 52nd-minute with his 11th goal in as many Town starts.
The 21-year-old, who is seizing the chance provided by Lee Novak’s unfortunate knee injury, picked up Dean Heffernan’s pass in the centre circle and played a neat one-two with Collins on the Town left before beating three men on a run along the edge of the penalty area and rifling a right-footed shot past the helpless Heaton.
Desperate for points in their battle against the drop, Wycombe refused to throw in the towel, with a double substitution pepping them up.
One of the new faces, Jon-Paul Pittman, broke through only to be thwarted by Trotman’s tackle, then had a header saved by Alex Smithies.
When Pittman later crossed, Smithies managed to get a hand to Keates’ header, but couldn’t keep it out.
Click below for a gallery of match action from Saturday's clash including Jordan Rhodes' super strike.
It threatened to get tense, but Town, with Antony Kay on in place of Gary Roberts, kept Wycombe pretty much under control.
And having chalked up their fifth double of the campaign so far, they now go in search of a sixth at the expense of Oldham in tomorrow’s big derby.
