Match report
The Dons started 2011 in handily similar manner to the way they ended 2010, with three precious points claimed against a tenacious side from the lower reaches of the Blue Square Bet Premier. And once again they did so with a squad decimated by an equally tenacious virus.
Terry Brown’s double entry into the January transfer market at least meant that he could name a full substitutes’ bench, with former Hayes & Yeading utility man James Mulley joining on a non-contract basis and winger Kirk Hudson coming to Kingsmeadow after a surprisingly unproductive first six months at Brentford.
With Sam Hatton suspended and Lee Minshull the latest player to feel the effects of the flu bug, Mulley slotted in at right-back for his debut, and the well-again Ismail Yakubu returned alongside the consistently impressive Fraser Franks at the heart of the Dons defence. Sammy Moore was also over his illness and replaced Steven Gregory in midfield.
It seemed that the Dons had almost a full squad to pick from, but it was clear from the kick-off that several of them were not firing on all cylinders. Moore in particular looked as though he’d been rushed back, as the terrier-like midfielder was robbed of possession time and again. With Rashid Yussuff looking equally off the pace, the United midfield trio of Peter Holmes, Andy Yiadom and Jamie Hand had by far the upper hand in the opening exchanges.
Twice the patched-up Brown Seb Brown was forced to bravely race from his goal to block former Don Elliott Buchanan and Jake Hyde, and United almost took the lead when Holmes’s curling left-footer from 25 yards was palmed into the path of Mulley rather than the onrushing Buchanan. United certainly weren’t playing like a bottom-four side, but the Dons were giving them a welcome helping hand, surrendering possession in dangerous situations on several occasions, with the unusually hesitant Yakubu twice guilty and Ryan Jackson easily robbed by the combative Yiadom.
However, Hayes & Yeading failed to make the most of their early possession, and as the half wore on the Dons finally looked as though they weren’t there for the taking after all. A Danny Kedwell cross to the far post only narrowly evaded Jackson and Mark Nwokeji, who was having his best half in a Dons shirt, consistently beating the far taller Adam Bygrave to flick on Brown clearances with his head, only for England semi-pro skipper Tom Cadmore to intervene on each occasion.
Chris Bush looked to be the Dons’ most potent attacking threat in the opening half, getting forward to support Yussuff with surging runs and whipped crosses that Kedwell twice narrowly failed to get on the end of. Mulley and Jackson were working hard to cement an understanding down the right, but Jackson’s delivery was not up to Bush’s standard on the opposite flank. The half ended goalless – but Terry Brown’s problems were only starting.
Moore, Yussuff and Nwokeji were all feeling further effects of the virus and weren’t able to continue, and for the first time in his three and a half years as AFC Wimbledon, Brown was forced to make all three of his substitutions at half time. On in their place came Luke Moore, Ed Harris and Kirk Hudson, with Harris partnering Yakubu at centre-half and Franks shifting over to right-back despite the presence of two recognised right-backs in Jackson and Mulley on the field.
With Dons fans wondering why Jackson hadn’t been slotted in at right-back, the speedy 20-year-old showed them why within minutes of the restart. Luke Moore found him in acres of space behind Adam Green down the Hayes left. One touch sent him haring into the penalty area, and a second saw his fierce drive take a nick off keeper Lee Harrison’s body and arrow into the far corner of the net for his first home league goal.
United could count themselves unlucky to be a goal down, but just three minutes later they were cursing their luck again as Wimbledon doubled their lead. Hudson beat Lewis Ferrell on the right, cut inside and tried to find Kedwell in the D, but Cadmore got his foot to the ball first and diverted it into the path of his former team-mate Mulley, who took one touch and let fly with a drive of awesome power and precision. Harrison could only watch as it ripped past him and into the top left corner.
Hayes now looked a beaten side, and the Dons were torn between going for the jugular or conserving energy for the remaining nine games in the coming 30 days. They opted for a combination of both, and Jackson’s header and Hudson’s rasping drive came close to extending their lead. However, while they still looked dangerous going forward, the Dons seemed to slacken off at the back, and Seb Brown had to be at his best to keep Buchanan out before Jake Hyde pulled a goal back, sliding in at the far post to reduce the deficit with 15 minutes to go.
Buchanan then spurned two glorious chances within a couple of minutes as the combination of Harris and Yakubu looked surprisingly rocky. That United failed to make the most of the Dons’ sloppiness was compounded with 10 minutes to go when they were reduced to 10 men when Hand received his second yellow card of the game, needlessly tripping Luke Moore some 40 yards from goal when the Dons man still had four defenders in front of him.
With five minutes remaining and the Hayes & Yeading comeback seemingly fizzling out, the Dons saw off the visitors with a well-taken third. Franks’ deep cross to the far post found Moore, and his casual first-time half-volley beat Harrison at his near post and set up a frantic last few minutes of action in which the Dons looked to add to their potentially all-important goal difference. Kedwell, Hudson and finally Jackson all saw their attempts end up in the Tempest End.
Another crucial three points were in the bag, but Terry Brown was left worrying about how many of his troops would be fit for battle two days later. |
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