AFC Wimbledon hit a high note on Tuesday afternoon as we dispatched of Brentford B 4-1 in a friendly at the Cherry Red Records Stadium.
Ryan McLean, Paris Lock, James Ball and Ed Leach were the men on the scoresheet, but the main positive was the fact that both Huseyin Biler and Paul Kalambayi came through 75 minutes respectively as they continue on the comeback trail.
It was also good preparation overall as we bid to get back to winning ways in League Two this coming weekend.
The Dons named a strong side for the game on home turf, with the likes of Ryan Sandford, Ball, McLean, Charlie Lakin, Ethan Sutcliffe and Aron Sasu all receiving vital minutes. Additionally, a number of our Academy talents featured in what was an experimental squad.
Meanwhile the opposition’s starting eleven featured our former loanee Nathan Young-Coombes, who had a spell with us last season.
Wimbledon started quickly and created an opening inside the first minute, with Sasu seeing a close range effort blocked following good approach play by Lock. We weren’t to be denied the second time around however as McLean burst through and finished clinically.
It wasn’t long before we were knocking on the door for a second, with Ball seeing an initial effort come back off the post before his follow up was brilliantly kept out by Brentford keeper Vincent Angelini.
The Bees’ number one was called into action again, this time keeping out a long range piledriver from Lakin. We doubled our lead from the resulting corner, with Lock’s cross from a short routine going all the way in.
Our domination of proceedings continued past the half hour mark as Kai Jennings fired in another long distance effort that Angelini matched well. Ball also went close again as he saw a effort skew off target. Our number 16 finally got his goal before the break however, finishing powerfully after being played in by McLean.
The lively Lock was at it again early in the second-half as he flicked the ball past his man before seeing an acrobatic effort clear the crossbar. There then a good chance for the visitors up the other end as they missed from barely a few yards out after good combination play. Young-Coombes then fired wide as he began to grow into the contest.
Young-Coombes played a key role in getting get a goal back for his side, playing creator as he picked out Val Adedokun at the back post with a whipped cross. Junior Nkeng was introduced as a substitute for the Dons and almost got a goal to his name as he cut inside and drew a good save from Angelini.
It was another Academy player who came up with our fourth, as substitutes Harry Sidwell and Leach combined for the latter to head home. This rounded off the scoring in an impressive performance by our side ahead of the trip to Barrow.
AFC Wimbledon: Ryan Sandford, Huseyin Biler (Ed Leach), James Ball (Harry Sidwell), Ryan McLean, Paris Lock (Junior Nkeng), Charlie Lakin, Ethan Sutcliffe, Aron Sasu, Paul Kalambayi (Leo Young), Mathias Tepe (Riley Horan), Kai Jennings (Hugo Few)
PIC: Paul Dennis