Match report
AFC Wimbledon reached the Third Round of the F.A. Carlsberg Trophy for the second year running with an emphatic 4-0 win over 10-man Tonbridge Angels. Goals from Daniel Webb, Richard Jolly and a brace from Mark De Bolla saw the Dons extend their “unbeaten” run in the competition to 10 games.
The Dons lined up with a three-pronged attack as target-man Webb was supported by wide men Tony Finn and Steve Ferguson, and De Bolla played just behind the front three. Mark Beard and Jake Leberl protected a defence which consisted of Will Salmon, Jason Goodliffe, Anthony Howard and Michael Haswell, with Lee Butcher making his third appearance for the club after his loan signing from Tottenham.
The pitch, though playable, was cut-up and muddy in most areas and immediately it was clear that a free-flowing game of football would be hard work. The opening seemed to prove that point as both sides scrappily fought for lost balls in the middle of the park. Wimbledon got the breakthrough however on 13 minutes when a Dons cross was only half-cleared to Webb, who made no mistake from inside the area.
Tonbridge tested Butcher for the first time a few minutes later, but Fraser Logan’s free-kick was directed straight at the Tottenham youngster. Wimbledon were given a golden opportunity to extend the lead on 36 minutes when the referee awarded the Dons a penalty for handball. The decision did seem slightly harsh and Tonbridge fans would say justice was done when Matt Reed saved De Bolla’s penalty.
Howard went close just before half-time when he found the ball at his feet on the right hand side of the penalty area. The centre-back did well finding space for himself before firing just wide. De Bolla made up for his earlier penalty miss in first half injury time when he extended the lead. John Wilfort missed his clearance and Webb slotted the ball through for De Bolla, who finished well to give Wimbledon a comfortable half-time lead.
Wimbledon continued to pressure Tonbridge with an increasing number of attacks through the air to cut out the increasingly unpredictable pitch. This approach almost bore fruit eight minutes into the half, when Webb headed well from a Finn cross, but Reed was equal to his effort. Just three minutes later the lead was extended when an aerial clearance from Howard found its way into De Bolla’s path via the head of a Tonbridge defender. De Bolla grabbed his second and it was seemingly game over for Tonbridge.
That was only confirmed in the 63rd minute when Tommy Tyne was sent off for lashing out at Goodlife while he lay on the ground. After this sending off the game seemed to lose some of its impetus. Wimbledon looked happy to settle for a 3-0 win and Tonbridge looked unlikely to create much with the one man deficit.
Ferguson remained bright and deserved a goal for his many forays down the right wing, but all of them ended in Reed keeping the ball out. As Wimbledon let Tonbridge keep most of the possession it was inevitable that they would create some chances, and they tested Butcher fully for the first time in the 84th minute, but Butcher was more than equal to Logan’s shot. Terry Brown took the comfortable winning margin, and a slight knock to Goodliffe, as an opportunity to blood Steve Gilbert in first team action but it was another of his substitutes that had the most impact. Richard Jolly replaced De Bolla with two minutes of normal time remaining and in time added on, the striker made it 4-0 courtesy of an inch-perfect ball from Salmon.
The referee blew his final whistle soon after to the delight of the large away support. The win puts Wimbledon into the hat for the last 16 as the only side outside the top two Non-League divisions. With sides like York, Torquay and Aldershot still in the competition another giant-killing act could be just round the corner. In fact so could a trip to Wembley.
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35) Phil Starkey
65) Tommy Tyne