Tom Beere shows his quality with great goal
Andy Frampton boosted his match fitness by getting 69 minutes under his belt as Wimbledon fought back to earn a creditable draw from their Final Third Development opener at Leyton Orient.
It may have been a virtually empty Matchroom Stadium, but there was no lack of quality on show, particularly from Tom Beere (pictured), who scored one and set-up the other in an entertaining 2-2 draw.
Wimbledon fielded a strong starting 11 in their competitive opener at Leyton Orient with defender Andy Frampton offering experience alongside Will Nightingale. Ade Azeez, Kevin Sainte-Luce and Tom Beere were the other three first-teamers who played a part at Carlisle on Saturday. The rest of Alan Reeves’ starting 11 contained Under-21s and trialists.
Leyton Orient started with four trialists in their side and one of those opened the scoring after just three minutes as Wimbledon failed to defend a corner. However, the Dons produced a spirited response and Sainte-Luce blazed over the crossbar, before Frampton headed wide after a lovely free-kick from Beere. Wimbledon gradually warmed to the task with Beere, who was in confident mood after his recent first-team appearances, at the heart of their best moves.
minute and the identity of the goalscorer was no surprise. Beere, who excels from dead ball situations, wasted no time putting himself forward to take a 20-yard free-kick and he found the bottom corner with a lovely curled effort.th Wimbledon drew level in the 20
However, the Dons failed to build on their equaliser, despite the likes of Azeez, Sainte-Luce and Chace Jacquart instigating promising situations. There was a lack of composure in the final third from Wimbledon and Orient punished them at the other end just before the half hour mark. Orient’s Scott Kashket took full advantage of a defensive lapse by beating Joe McDonnell to the ball and then tapping into an empty net.
Wimbledon started the second-half in determined mood to restore parity and Azeez bore down on goal after a rampaging run, but a brilliant tackle from Jack Humphrey stopped him in his tracks. A lovely Dons move almost resulted in the equaliser when Beere found Ben Harrison on the left and his cross was diverted by Orient goalkeeper Ben Bridle-Card into the path of trialist David Fitzpatrick, but he shot wide. At the other end, Wimbledon were fortunate to survive when Sandro Semedo broke through, but he shot just wide.
In between those moments of promise for Wimbledon came more good play from tricky Portuguese youngster Semedo as he forced McDonnell into a decent save. In an evenly-matched second-half, Wimbledon almost fashioned a chance when Beere sent over a lovely cross from the left that Azeez so nearly got on the end of. Azeez had an even better chance minutes later when he latched onto a Chace Jacquart cross, but Orient goalkeeper Bridle-Card was out quickly off his line to deny him.
Frampton departed after 69 minutes and he produced a display that showed he’s in good shape for a possible first-team return. Sainte-Luce and Azeez both played the full 90 minutes and the former came so close to going all the way, but he was denied by a last-ditch tackle, before Pilbeam was denied by Bridle-Card. The signs were promising as we entered the latter stages and Wimbledon earned an equaliser their second-half play deserved. Beere’s defence-splitting pass put trialist Chinedu Vine racing through and he produced a fine low finish to beat Bridle-Card with five minutes left.
It had been an encouraging opener for Under-21 coach Alan Reeves, particularly in the second-half, and the bonus was run-outs for several first-teamers with Accrington Stanley up next on Saturday.
AFC Wimbledon: Joe McDonnell, George Pilbeam, Ben Harrison, Tom Beere, Will Nightingale, Andy Frampton (Taylor Roles), Kevin Sainte-Luce, David Fitzpatrick, Adebayo Azeez, Chace Jacquart, Jordan Adekunle (Chinedu Vine).