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With most of the Dons squad having travelled down the previous night for this friendly match and after enjoying the delights of Southampton there were quite a few sore heads in the ranks. The team need not have worried as we enjoyed a relatively easy day at the office.
There were few signs early on of the rampage to follow as Wimbledon waited until mid way through the first half to open the scoring. A cross from Harvey on the right was deflected into the goal by Wardell. It wasn’t long before the Dons found that Eastleigh’s Achilles heel was their pace at the back and on several occasions the strikers were put through by good passes from midfield. Matt Lawrence got his first on the half hour mark and five minutes later converted from the penalty spot after being brought down by the keeper when one on one. The striker completed his hatrick a minute before half time.
Wimbledon kept up the pressure in the second half with Wardell adding a second and then Harvey getting off the mark. Wardell looked to have completed his hatrick in the 64th minute when he scored directly from a corner but the referee blew for a foul on the keeper, however, he did not have to wait long to celebrate adding his third just a minute later. Harvey got his second of the game when he was the quickest to react to a free kick which rebounded of the woodwork. The home side got a consolation goal with 15 minutes remaining with one of their few chances as the Dons defence snuffed out most of Eastleigh’s attacking efforts. Lawrence completed the scoring in the last minute for his forth, to equal the Dons record in a single game.
