AFC Wimbledon’s Under-18s fell to defeat on Saturday as Oxford United came from behind to win 3-1 in Merit League One.
We finished our South-East Youth Alliance League season with victories away to Milton Keynes Dons and Southend United before we ultimately had to settle for second spot as runners-up behind champions Luton Town.
We had opened the current campaign with a battling 1-1 draw at home to local neighbours Sutton United before cantering to a 3-1 win away to Bournemouth.
Wimbledon took the game to the visitors and our promising start would result in us taking the lead in the tenth minute. Remi Onabanjo managed to lose his marker in the Oxford penalty area before firing the ball home.
The U’s looked for a route to back into the game but we managed to keep our lead intact thanks to some defensive solidity.
Oxford did have a golden chance to draw level when Ibby Sankoh sent in a well delivered cross in search for a yellow shirt but Enrique Tiamuna couldn’t steer the ball home as we held a slender advantage at the break.
The second-half was also a physical affair and it resulted in Mathias Tepe needing treatment. Tom Wilson thought he was through on goal but James Golding recovered to stop the pacey attacker from making it two.
Wimbledon then had Sean Sankanu to thank for maintaining their lead when he somehow cleared the ball off the line.
It was then the turn of Harry Griffiths to be the hero not once but twice. The young stopper denied Kasway Burton with a world-class save, clawing the ball behind. Before he then kept out Tobias Brennan with another fine stop, this time using his feet to keep Oxford at bay.
Wimbledon’s resilience would finally be broken in the 77th minute when Burton scored a deserved equaliser for Oxford.
game was there for the taking, the visitors then took the lead in the 81st minute when the same man headed home for his and his side’s second.
Burton would then complete his hat-trick, wrapping the game up in the 87th minute when he found the net from a tight angle.
Simon Clark’s men will look to learn from Saturday’s defeat as they go in search of a win next week against Swindon Town.
PIC: Lucy Dixon