Match report
Both managers had talked a good game during the week but, when all was said and done, Chelmsford City gave an emphatic demonstration of why they are heading for the Blue Square South and AFC Wimbledon will have to take a punt on the playoffs for a third consecutive season. The thrilling-looking 3-2 score line, in front of 3,201 spectators, flattered the Dons in fairness and owed more to good fortune than any scintillating football played by the men in yellow and blue.
Andy Duncan put the hosts ahead, nodding in Spencer Knight’s corner on 25 minutes. But the visitors were gift wrapped two goals in the second period with Steve Clark’s own goal restoring parity, before Luke Garrard gave the Dons an entirely unexpected lead from the penalty spot. Ricky Holmes equalised sixty seconds later with another penalty kick and Dean Palmer hammered the final nail in the Dons title hopes, looping his header over James Pullen with just 7 minutes remaining.
Billed as the biggest match of the Wombles’ season to date, Terry Brown had some selection issues and, with seven wins from the last eight making the decision tough enough, he also changed his playing system to a bold, unanticipated and rather narrow 4-2-1-3. Romone Rose, Daniel Webb and Luis Cumbers teamed up for the first time, with Sam Hatton supporting from midfield. Jake Leberl and Cumbers returned to duties at the expense of wingers Steven Ferguson and Tony Finn, while Michael Haswell replaced Chris Hussey, who may have been somewhat disappointed to be benched considering his excellent recent form.
Wimbledon created the first opening of the afternoon with Rose cutting in from the left and curling the ball high and wide. Moments later, Chelmsford centre half Duncan headed a corner from the right over the Dons’ crossbar.
Haswell’s long throw deceived everybody in the hosts’ penalty box except Rose but he fired tamely at Danny Gay. Cumbers then reprised Rose’s attempt from earlier – his swirling effort going closer but not close enough.
The Clarets started to find their passing rhythm. Holmes drilled in a long distance strike but Pullen was equal to it. Pullen then had to be sharp off his line to deny Bertie Brayley after Chelmsford had engineered a three-on-two counter attack, the Dons’ keeper smothering at the striker’s feet.
The hosts went in front on 25 minutes. Knight’s corner hit the same target area as earlier, Duncan ghosted in through a crowd of players and Pullen was powerless to keep out the former Cambridge United man’s point-blank header.
The Champions-elect increased the pressure before half time. Good interplay set up Brayley, but he drove his 20-yard effort just wide of the right hand upright.
The Dons, realising that anything less than a victory would see the title slip away, threw Ferguson on for the more defensive Rob Quinn. It paid dividends almost immediately. The Scot provided a long throw that deceived everyone in the Chelmsford box and Clark clumsily stabbed the ball past his keeper.
The home side responded with some of their best football, fast and fluid; cutting through the Dons’ defence with ease and teeing up Chris Duffy who dragged his attempt wide of the left hand post.
Robin Shroot joined the action just after the hour and was immediately involved. Haswell’s deep delivery was headed back across the six-yard box area by Ferguson but Shroot shinned it away for a goal kick. On an afternoon when Chelmsford were breaking down Wimbledon attacks with ease, it was a good chance missed.
The Clarets went back on the offensive pushing the Dons deeper and deeper. Brayley exploited a Jason Goodliffe slip and bee-lined for goal but was denied by a combination of Garrard’s last-ditch block and Pullen’s acrobatic save. The striker got in again moments later but his composure deserted him and he lashed the ball past the post. With panic seemingly starting to set in Wimbledon were on the back foot and playing themselves into trouble over and over. Brayley couldn’t get a decent shot away when well placed, and then Holmes glided in behind the backline but no one was there to covert his dangerous low cross. Palmer robbed Leberl on the edge of the box and found the England C international, who made a yard of space but failed to test Pullen. It was surely only a matter of time, though, before the hosts regained the lead.
However, the Dons’ championship aspirations were suddenly given a lifeline. Another Ferguson bullet throw into the box caused problems and Knight handled the ball. Garrard stepped forward, kept his head and despatched the spot kick to send 1,000 travelling supporters delirious. With only twelve minutes remaining and a ‘smash and grab’ on the cards, everyone at Melbourne Park would find out what the top two sides in the division were made of.
Chelmsford restarted, went down the other end and won a penalty inside a minute. Brayley raced past Gayle into the left hand channel to gather Knight’s cross and, as he tried to twist away from the former Aldershot player, he was bundled over near the by-line. It was no surprise to see Holmes grab the ball and he nonchalantly thumped his spot kick straight down the centre galvanising the home crowd once more.
Four minutes later, the hosts effectively sealed their victory. Duffy sent in another fine cross from the left and Palmer rose above the static Dons defence to head home, almost certainly claiming the Ryman League Premier Division title in the process.
Terry Brown’s record against Jeff King over the years has been pretty formidable but the Clarets’ boss has more than made up for lost time, taking all six points from his close rival over the campaign. For the Wombles, focusing on second place and a home draw in the playoffs is the next challenge. In the cold light of day Dons’ fans may concede that winning the Ryman League this year was always going to be a bit of long shot with such a sizeable points margin to make up. Mathematically, of course, it’s still possible, but unlikely – and who could begrudge the championship going to a squad so well drilled, that plays good football and simply refuses to lie down?
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73) Steve Clark