Reality check for Adams

Tony Adams enjoyed his sweetest moment as the new Wycombe Wanderers manager with last weekend's 4-1 victory over Grimsby Town but it has not taken long for reality to come flooding back.

After reaping the benefits of having Aston Villa's Luke Moore at the Causeway Stadium for a month - Moore scored a hat-trick against Grimsby - Adams had hoped he had found a replacement in Nathan Tyson, a bright young striker borrowed from Reading. Tyson made an impressive debut against Grimsby but was injured after an hour and had to return to Reading for treatment to a knee ligament injury.

Moore and the 17-year-old Newcastle defender Steven Taylor return to their clubs following today's trip to fellow strugglers Stockport, which leaves Adams with more thinking to do if he is to avoid relegation.

Adams has had a harsh introduction to management with just two wins from 12 League games since he took charge in November and after a 4-0 defeat by Rushden & Diamonds, he told reporters he would "sleep on it" before considering his future.

The possibility of his quitting appears to have lessened. "I made a mistake and what I said came out wrong," he told the club's website. "I am a very emotional man and there'll be times when I say things that get me into trouble."

Talk of Hull-born Nick Barmby joining the Third Division promotion hopefuls Hull City has been knocked on the head by the chairman Adam Pearson. "Nick has two and a half years of a very good contract at Leeds still to run and his plans do not include joining us," Pearson said. "In any case, his contract is way out of what this club can afford."