Ladies march on with another fine win
AFC Wimbledon Ladies maintained a four-point lead at the top with an impressive victory at Kent-based Aylesford on Sunday.
Captain Jess Trimnell struck a double and Becky McLaren (pictured) earned the Player of the Match award as the Dons marched to an emphatic 6-0 win. It meant that Chris Lyons’ side remain four points clear, albeit with nearest challengers Carshalton Athletic having a game in hand.
Wimbledon started strongly with Trimnell going close after only three minutes and that set the tone for the remainder of the game. The opener arrived in the eighth minute when Jordanne Hoesli-Atkins and Rebecca Sargent combined to find Sian Wylie and she set-up Zoe Clifford, who finished clinically.
It was not long before the advantage was increased, Clifford turning provider to set-up full-back Linsey Clarke and she continued her good habit of being in the right place at the right time to make it 2-0. Ten minutes before half-time came a third when the inspiration Trimnell finished superbly with her left foot.
There was no let-up from Wimbledon and it was 4-0 before half-time when Sargent reacted well to convert a rebound after Sian Houghton-North was denied.
On the hour mark, Clifford assisted again, this time for a Wylie volley, which would have been a candidate for goal of the game had it not narrowly missed the target.
Sargent, Trimnell and Hoesli-Atkins all had good chances to make it five, but Aylesford goalkeeper Chapman managed to deny them all. However, Trimnell bagged her second of the afternoon after a great cross from McLaren and Hoesli-Atkins rounded off the scoring in style with a fine 30-yarder.
Manager Chris Lyons said: “We have a good group of players that can adapt to whatever conditions are put in front of them, and Sunday was no different. The pitch down at Aylesford is well used, and I thought we played the conditions as best as we could. At times, we did the simple things, and at other times we got the ball down and played. Though the opposition are down at the foot of the table, conditions can sometimes be a real leveller. That wasn’t the case, and its credit to our players that they were professional in how they adapted.
“We started strongly and at half-time we were four-up, so it would have been easy for the players to back off. But we didn’t, and we kept our high work rate up until the final whistle. I was very happy with how all the team played, and I thought our substitutes came on and continued the high standard that the players are setting themselves.”
Becky McLaren was player of the match, which was voted for by the opposition.
AFC Wimbledon Ladies: Salgado, McLaren, Houghton-North (Colliver), Clements, Clarke, Hoesli-Atkins, Sargent, Trimnell, Whelan, Wylie, Clifford (Suchley 60).