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Saturday 03 October 2009 Suburban League, Premier Division
Northwood Reserves
3
-
1
AFC Wimbledon
Eugene Ofori (39) John Sonuga (65) John Sonuga (89)
Northwood took the three points in this Suburban League premier game but it was Wimbledon who won all the plaudits for a very good performance in which the scoreline flattered the hosts.
Northwood played their first team who are sixth in the Ryman North League against a very young Dons side and possession wise it was the home side that struggled in this match.
With the first 15 minutes being pretty even it was the Dons who had the first chance when Elliott Godfrey pounced on a poor clearance by the keeper but saw his 45 yard effort just go wide of the posts. Wimbledon were dominating the possession playing some excellent football and making their superior hosts work hard to get the ball. After 25 minutes a good move ended with Karl Douglin blasting a shot from 15 yards that the Northwood keeper saved well. With 10 minutes of the first half remaining the Dons fell for the sucker punch when Eugene Ofori got in between Charlie Clark-Gleave and Ryan Jackson before finishing well past Jack Turner in goal. An injury after 35 minutes to the influential Elliott Frost saw Peter Rapson make his long awaited return from injury. Rapson making an immediate impact by getting on the end of a cross which he chested down but his effort failed to find the target.
An injury to Rapson early in the second half saw the substitute being substituted. Top scorer Elton Gjoni replaced him, whilst a poor tackle from a Northwood defender saw Elliott Godfrey hobble off and be replaced by Jack Stafford. The re-organisation saw the Dons lose their impetus and it was Northwood who against the run of play grabbed a second. Wimbledon got caught dribbling out of defence and Northwood broke down the left where the winger produced a fine cross for John Sonuga to superbly head past Jack Turner whilst the static defenders looked on. The Dons replied when a Ryan Jackson pass was intercepted but Gjoni followed up and coolly slotted the ball past Aaron Bufton from 20 yards. Half chances came and went, Matt Harmsworth rushing his effort and Stafford missing the target from a free kick when in a good position. Wimbledon fought hard to regain parity but Northwood killed off the challenge when they again broke away and another cross from the left found a Northwood striker whose header was superbly saved by Jack Turner but the rebound was tucked away by Sonuga to give the home side a flattering margin of victory.
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