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Wednesday 09 November 2005
Football Conference Youth League, Southern Area
| AFC Wimbledon |
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Weymouth U19 |
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Match report
On a crisp, clear, late autumn afternoon at Merland Rise, AFC Wimbledon Under 19s took on their counterparts from Weymouth in only their second league encounter of the season. After the excitement of the FA Youth Cup campaign, this was a perhaps a more mundane fixture and predictably a workmanlike performance ensued.
Nonetheless both teams showed spirit and commitment. Both goals came from Niall Connery, justifying his selection for the first team squad at Staines Town only the previous evening.
The early exchanges were marginally in favour of the home team. Several crosses eluded variously the forwards, found the hands of the goalkeeper or harmlessly passed the wrong side of the posts.
At the other end, a through ball put a Weymouth forward in on goal. Thomas Costello, making his debut between the sticks, did enough to force the attacker wide and his effort wider.
Ashley Smith was causing the visitors problems as he attacked down the flank. An early free kick and a driven cross failed to produce an end result. When he was again fouled on the corner of the box, Steve Tyson floated the free kick to the edge of the six yard box, in the centre of the goal, where Connery headed home unchallenged.
AFC Wimbledon dominated the next twenty minutes. Saves from the Nick Carroll in the opposition goal kept the difference down to the single goal, but Weymouth?s main form of defence was a persistent series of fouls.
Just before half time though, the visitors twice broke clear down the left. The first chance brought a shot from Dean Charles, wide of the left post. Then Josh Houghton was closed down and blocked by Costello, who conceded only a corner.
Normal service was resumed in the second half. AFC Wimbledon had most of the possession and the majority of the attacking play. In particular, Sam Morgan enjoyed a lively spell, setting up Steve Tyson for a shot across the face of goal, then being fed by Liam Hirrel, to close in and shoot high. The ?keeper parried one-handed over the bar.
As the final whistle approached, Weymouth raised their game. A corner was cleared off the home goal line, Costello saved well to his left from Houghton bringing about another corner and another save.
Connery was finding the afternoon most frustrating as the ball did not run for him and one of his team-mates inadvertently blocked a goal-bound shot. His lack of self control brought him a deserved booking. However, his persistence and general harrying of the defenders paid off in the end.
Sent clear in the final minute, he shot from 20 yards. The ball cannoned off the underside of the crossbar, bounced down onto the goal line and continued to rebound vertically three times until it was clearly across the line. Cue exaggerated celebrations, given that there were only seconds left. The scoreline did now better reflect the balance of play.
As the clear skies heralded the approach of the first Banstead frost of the winter, an Arctic breeze meant that the final whistle was welcomed by the players and spectators alike.
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