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Sunday 14 March 2004 Epsom & Ewell League U14 Cup
AFC Wimbledon
5
-
1
Hook Youth U14
Match report
This match was played in swirling winds and occasional rain which made conditions difficult for both sides.
With the Dons as favourites, Hook were always going to have to start quickly. And they did. Twice Hook caused a scramble in the AFC Wimbledon box, only for big goalkeeper Jamie Henley to smother. But after only just three minutes, a huge punt upfield was left to drift over everybody. The Hook centre forward was the only player to react and side-footed into the corner of the net.
But credit to the AFC Wimbledon lads, they stepped up the pace and began using the wings. The boys were causing havoc in the Hook area every time a cross came in. After ten minutes, right midfielder Aaron Reid ran past two defenders and fired in a low cross that was tapped home by James Bailey. Then the pressure really began to mount on Hook. Just four minutes later it was 2-1 to AFC Wimbledon and the goal of the game. A ball into the area was headed away to just outside the box and Declan Connery met the dropping ball with a first time volley that flew into the top right corner. The Hook heads went down for ten minutes and AFC Wimbledon took advantage. On 19 minutes James Bailey got his second and the Dons' third, when he fed off a knockdown by top scorer Sam Manzambi, side-stepped the centre back and riffled home from 20 yards. The game was effectively killed after 24 minutes when centre back Robert Weatherhead got his first for the club when he fired home a loose ball from a corner to put the Dons 4-1 up at half time.
After the break the game was scrappy for the first five minutes, before Tom Savage and Justin Peck got hold of the ball in centre midfield. Then after 42 minutes, Peck picked up the ball 25 yards out and saw the keeper off his line. He lofted the ball perfectly to drop under the bar and put the lads 5-1 up. There were few other chances in the match, with only an Aaron Reid effort that came off the cross bar to show in the last 20 minutes.
An excellent performance if we take out the first five minutes, and a massive final to come against Croygas who are currently second behind AFC Wimbledon in the league.
