Match report
AFC Wimbledon’s punishing January schedule finally caught up with them when the game postponed from December was finally played – as it was last season – in midweek rather than on a Saturday, as originally scheduled. The fresher legs of York City were the difference as the hosts ran out worthy 4-1 winners.
After the match, Terry Brown made clear his frustration with a rejigged fixture list that had handed the Dons 11 games in just 32 days and involved over two thousand miles of travel. Describing the game as a “match too far”, he paid tribute to the effort of his players and to the goalscoring prowess of the Yorkshire opposition, and also to the brilliant support of the Dons fans, who had made those journeys too.
Fraser Franks, Ryan Jackson and Ricky Wellard replaced the three injured players from Friday’s win at Gateshead. Neither Jackson nor Wellard appeared to be 100%, and in fact both were withdrawn within minutes of each other either side of half-time. Luke Moore, Rashid Yussuff and Ismail Yakubu made way as the Dons sought to extend their lead at the top of the Blue Square Bet Premier table.
But in truth, that never looked likely to happen. York were sharper and brighter from the off, having played significantly fewer games in January. The Minstermen restricted the Dons to just two shots on target in the entire game. One of those shots, in the 63rd minute, did at least produce a goal for Christian Jolley, but it proved to be no more than a consolation.
Before that, however, the hosts earned themselves a 2-0 half-time lead. With Michael Rankine a constant threat, winning everything that came near him, York were stretching a tired Wimbledon defence. On 16 minutes Ricky Wellard was judged to have fouled York debutant Liam Darville on the edge of the area, and from the resulting free-kick Daniel Parslow’s glancing header put York in front.
The home side continued to press the weary Dons back line, but Wimbledon looked set to go in to the break just one behind when the fourth official indicated that there would be a minimum of 0 minutes of time added on. Despite this, York added a second in the 46th minute of the first half. James Meredith gathered the ball on the left, and with Dons substitute Mark Nwokeji, on for the withdrawn Jackson, appealing for offside rather than challenging him, Meredith raced towards goal and curled a fine shot into the far corner of Seb Brown’s goal.
The Dons made some changes at half-time, bringing back the fit-again Brett Johnson in place of Wellard, while Sam Hatton moved into midfield and Franks dropped to right-back. And they seemed to find some extra energy from somewhere, as they came out firing in the second half.
With Wimbledon finally starting to perform more like league leaders, it began to look as if there might be a way back into the game. Jolley’s goal, a cracking finish off the underside of the bar following a powerful run, was no less than the Dons deserved. The goal seemed to rattle the home side, who backed off and allowed the Dons still more momentum, and with just under half an hour to go, a draw or even a win looked possible.
Sadly for Wimbledon, just six minutes after Jolley had given them a lifeline, Rankine restored York’s lead. His 30-yard shot, which looked suspiciously like an intended cross, looped beyond Brown’s despairing dive and into the far corner to restore the hosts’ two-goal advantage and their nerve.
If there was a question mark over Rankine’s intention, there was none over Ashley Chambers’ on 84 minutes. He powered down the Dons’ right flank, easily seeing off two weary challenges as he cut inside to drive past Brown’s outstretched arm and complete an impressive display of finishing and an emphatic win. In fact York could and should have added to their tally, as both Rankine and Jonathan Smith failed to convert clear chances when in acres of space among the Dons increasingly static defence.
Wimbledon now had to put this defeat behind them quickly, and hope for three points against Fleetwood the following Saturday as their frenetic league schedule calmed down. This would be first of just five games in February, four of them at Kingsmeadow.
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