Wycombe Wanderers manager Matt Bloomfield has described his players’ performance in the 4-1 away win at Shrewsbury Town as “professional.”

Strikes from Bez Lubala, Caleb Taylor, Fred Onyedinma and Dan Udoh made it 17 league games unbeaten for the Chairboys as they sit one point clear of second-placed Birmingham City.

Wrexham had started the day in second, but their 2-2 draw with struggling Cambridge United has seen them drop to third, two points behind Wycombe, having played a game more.

The encounter on Saturday afternoon at the New Meadow was also the first time that Bloomfield went up against his former teammate, manager, and predecessor, Gareth Ainsworth.

He said: “I’m very pleased with the performance as we had to be professional and robust in how we went about our business.

“I played under and worked with the gaffer [Gareth Ainsworth] for many years, s we knew the questions that were going to be asked for our players.

“We were professional, we played some good stuff and created a lot of chances.

“We weren’t as fluid but there were some mitigating circumstances towards that, but in terms of creating and executing changes, we were excellent.

“It was a strange feeling as I didn’t know how I would feel standing on the touchline next to the gaffer [Gareth Ainsworth], but it was important for our players just to go about their business.

“I believe that at Exeter and at home to Reading, we played some brilliant stuff but we didn’t win the games, and then questions start to get asked which is fine.

“There have been times we have won but we haven’t looked as fluid, and the players at the top of the pitch were excellent.”

Despite winning by three goals, the Shrews looked dangerous in the opening 15 minutes.

The home side bossed the ball and there fears that the team sitting bottom of the division could pull off another shock by beating a side pushing for promotion.

This comes after Shrewsbury defeated Birmingham 3-2 in Ainsworth’s first game in charge last month.

However, after Lubala’s close-range header gave Wycombe the lead, the Chairboys looked comfortable for large spells.

And if they avoid defeat against Bolton Wanderers on December 20, they will spend Christmas Day top of the League One table.

Bloomfield added: “Since the gaffer has been here, no team has created more XG in the opening 15 minutes of games, and that’s a fact.

“We were able to give the boys that information and we knew that they create a lot of opportunities from second balls so we had to guard against that.

“We know we have got a lot of goals in us at the top of the pitch as we did a lot of work in the summer on our recruitment.

“We need to keep creating chances and this isn’t by accident.

“It’s about the work the players put in as they demand a lot from each other to keep their standards high.

“To be where we are in December is above any expectation of anyone in the football world as no one expected us to be where we are.

"We have to enjoy it as the boys have been working hard.”