Midfielder strikes a double versus Orient
Tom Beere marked his return with an impressive double to help a Dons development side get the better of Leyton Orient tonight.
Academy product Beere, who made a promising first-team breakthrough earlier this season before suffering a toe injury that required an operation, opened the scoring in a 3-1 win at Merstham. Beere fired home at the second attempt after a Chace Jacquart corner had only been half cleared.
Orient had the better of first-half possession and they equalised before half-time, but Alan Reeves’ side regained supremacy after the break. A second goal followed for the Dons and it came in fine style too with Jacquart and trialist Jamal Branker combining to put George Oakley through and he made no mistake.
Beere rounded off the scoring with a fine individual goal as he chipped the Orient goalkeeper from 30 yards. It meant a third successive win for Wimbledon’s development side. Though impressed with his side’s attacking play, Alan Reeves was particularly pleased with his defence. The home-grown quartet of Ben Harrison, Will Nightingale, Ryan Sweeney and Callum Wilson ended the game with the latter replacing George Pilbeam at half-time.
Alan said: “Tom was a little bit rusty in the first-half, which was understandable as he’s been out for a while, but he got better as it wore on. Will was outstanding again and he is getting a good partnership going with Ryan, who is improving all the time. Will has that attitude and determination to win that you cannot coach. I’m very pleased with the way things are going. Results are not the be all and end all, but you can see steady improvement from the players, especially with Will.”
AFC Wimbledon: Joe McDonnell, George Pilbeam (Callum Wilson), Will Nightingale, Ryan Sweeney, Ben Harrison, David Fitzpatrick, Chace Jacquart, Dan Gallagher, Tom Beere, George Oakley (Dan Agyei), Jamal Branker (Egli Kaja).