Goals by Isaac Olaniyan and Dylan Adjei-Hersey kept our Under-18s ticking over with their big FA Youth Cup tie versus Burnley coming up next week.
A 2-0 friendly victory versus Sutton was secured at our New Malden training base with Olaniyan’s penalty setting the young Dons on their way after Kwaku Frimpong had been hacked down in the box. The advantage was doubled early in the first-half when Josh Hallard swung in a corner that picked out the unmarked Adjei-Hersey, who headed home.
Dons keeper Matthew Cox stayed alert at the other end when he claimed a cross with plenty of assurance and his opposite number did well to deny Hugo Few a third after good build-up play involving Abdi Ali and Ben Mason.
Mason shot off target in the second-half after a quickly taken corner involving Hallard, Few, and Adjei-Hersey, but Sutton also maintained a threat and Cox had to stay switched on between the sticks. Wimbledon stayed in control during the second-half, but a third goal was just denied in the latter stages when Ali and Paris Lock linked up well to set-up Adjei-Hersey, but his effort was saved by the keeper.
AFC Wimbledon Under-18s: Matthew Cox, Isaac Ogundere (C), Ben Mason, Tylah Sanchez, Josh Hallard, Isaac Olanyian, Abdi Ali, Kwaku Frimpong, Troy Chiabi, Dylan Adjei-Hersey, Aron Sasu. Subs: Adejola Lahan, Paris Lock, Remi Onabanjo, Hugo Few, and Aaron Jones.
You can watch highlights from the game by clicking on the link below and also an interview with academy coach Jack Matthews and young keeper Aaron Jones, who has bounced back from a long-term injury.