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Sunday 09 November 2008 Surrey Youth League U15 Cup
The Dons win over higher opposition for a Quarter Final Place.
Starting 11:
Jake Weekes
Dean Brasil
Danny Wilson
George Chambers
Adam Roberts
Darryl
Cameron
Joe
Keenan
Ryan Butler
Duvaine
Substitutes:
Ryan Bennet
Ross
Chidike
Sachi Fleming
Yet another bout of overnight rain (three weeks in a row) but again the home pitch coped well and drained down to leave a good playing surface. The under 15’s faced their toughest challenge yet as they took on the Premiere Elite side Old Isleworthians Reds (from herein called OI’s) in the Surrey Youth League Cup. Confidence was running high in the AFC Wimbledon squad after a string of favourable results. The opposition on the other hand have not had the best of starts to the season with only one win in six league games. The referee called for a minutes silence before the match began to mark Remembrance Sunday.
OI’s started with a quick pace with a chance on goal within the first minute of the game, but the home keeper read the situation well and came off of his line to gather the ball. The Dons hit back when a short corner resulted in a shot from Darryl going just over the bar on three minutes. OI’s again tried to dictate the pace and broke through with a cracking shot forcing the keeper to stretch, saving the ball with an outstretched leg. The resulting corner fell dangerously forcing another save and another corner. The corner again falling perfectly for an OI’s shot that was sent high over the bar. With just nine minutes played AFC Wimbledon began to dominate and created chances at the other end with shots from Danny, Dean and George, all defended well by the away team. The Dons enjoyed ten minutes of dominance without a reply from OI’s but then against the run of play OI’s caught AFC Wimbledon on the break to leave their striker one on one with the Don’s keeper. Jake read the danger well coming off of his line to force the striker to shoot wide. The Dons pushed forward again with a long ball from Cameron finding Danny in space allowing him to cruise past the OI’s defensive line and slot the ball under the diving keeper to put the home side ahead, 1-0.
AFC Wimbledon were now firmly in control of the game and pushed forward with confidence. Some great deliveries from midfield allowed Danny, Dean and Adam to link up well resulting in a string of shots but none resulting in a second goal. With three minutes of the half left to play OI’s stepped up a gear in search of an equaliser before the whistle, managing to get behind the AFC Wimbledon defence twice leaving just the keeper to beat. Jake kept his cool to deny the opposition and the half finished with the Dons a goal ahead.
OI’s started quickly again in the second half with two shots on goal within the first minute. The first shot was sent wide and the second was pushed out by the keeper and cleared up-field by the defence. Danny looked to have his second goal of the game with eight minutes of the half played. A long kick from Jake that got caught on the wind saw the ball fly all the way to the edge of the OI’s keeper’s area. The keeper came out to collect but Danny managed to chip the ball over him only to be cleared by a quick thinking OI’s defender. The Dons dominance seemed to fizzle out and the game was now a much closer affair with end to end play. OI’s were desperately seeking the equaliser and could have found it on a number of occasions if it had not been for the strength of Ryan Butler in defence and the timing of Jake in goal. Every time the Dons pushed forward OI’s hit back on the break. Their closest effort came after twenty four minutes of the second half when a low powerful shot on target forced a diving save from Jake to maintain the Dons’ lead. OI’s threatened the Don’s goal more and more as the time ticked away but every effort was matched by a determined AFC Wimbledon defence. The game looked certain to finish at 1-0 but with one minute of the match left to play Dean added his name to the score sheet. A run down the right wing from Danny was cut off by the OI’s defence. Danny played through to Dean in plenty of space who powered his way past the last defender and slotted under the keeper to put the Dons safe at 2-0. The one minute of injury time passed without drama to put AFC Wimbledon into the Quarter Final of the League Cup. They now face Tooting & Mitcham in the quarter final for another tough game against higher placed opposition.
