MATCH REPORT: Wycombe Wanderers 1-2 AFC Wimbledon
AFC Wimbledon picked up their first win under manager Wally Downes on Saturday as they managed to come away from Adams Park with a 2-1 win over Wycombe Wanderers. In a result that surely spoilt a few betting accumulators, it ended a run of seven consecutive away defeats for the Kingsmeadow side, while at the same time stopping Wanderers run of six straight home league victories. A quirkier sequence also came to an end, as the Chairboys tasted defeat in their final home game before Christmas for the first time in 19 years.
Gareth Ainsworth opted to make one change to the starting eleven that drew with Gillingham a week ago with Randell Williams starting ahead of Bryn Morris, while Downes had to make do without the suspended Mitch Pinnock following his red card at Charlton last week. Kwesi Appiah and James Hanson came into the side as did Tom King in goal.
The first moment of note came after four minutes when Kwesi found the net from close range but the referee’s whistle had already gone for a push. Anthony Hartigan had the games next opportunity, but he volleyed over the Wycombe bar after fourteen minutes before Nathan Tyson headed over at the other end. It was a cagey opening with Wimbledon putting men behind the ball and looking to counter-attack, but the breakthrough came after they were controversially awarded a corner just before the half-hour mark. Wanderers were initially angry, citing that the ball had not actually gone out of play, and their anger grew when Hartigan’s corner was flicked on by Hanson. Kwesi reacted at the far post and volleyed home for a 1-0 lead. Eleven minutes later and referee John Busby did little to get himself back onto Wycombe’s Christmas card list when Fred Onyedinma did superbly to keep the ball in play, only to be up-ended in the area. Busby waved away any the penalty appeals, while the 600 travelling fans began the chant ‘Same old Wycombe, Always cheating’, a narrative that they would repeat for the remainder of the game any time Busby awarded a foul either way. Just before the break, Wycombe carved out their best opportunity, but Tyson could only blaze over the bar when he really should have hit the target.
It had been an uninspiring first half as Wimbledon had stifled the usually free-flowing Wycombe attack and taken their chance when it came.
The second half saw Wycombe step up their game as Wimbledon looked to cling on to their slender lead. The home side finally registered a shot on target on 54 minutes as Alex Samuel was denied in a one on one with King before the Dons keeper saved Williams long-range volley. Ainsworth then opted to bring on Scott Kashket and Bryn Morris for Samuel and Williams and with 68 minutes gone, Kashket came close to an equaliser. His one on one was well stopped by King and although Sido Jombati’s follow-up did beat the goalie, it was blocked by covering defenders.
Wimbledon were coping well with the crosses into their box in a game that would have suited their former player Adebayo Akinfenwa, who is slowly returning from injury at Adams Park. Ainsworth eventually brought on Craig Mackail-Smith as he switched to a 4-3-3 formation to give his side more strength up front, yet it was the Dons who managed to find the games next goal.
With 90 minutes almost up, a counter-attack down the left saw Tyler Garratt swing the ball into the middle, when he may have headed for the corner flag. Substitute Jake Jervis met the cross and fired home to clinch the points.
Yet Wycombe have made a habit of scoring late goals this season and have managed consolations in the defeats to Bristol Rovers, Charlton Athletic, Southend United and Walsall. They did the same again two minutes into injury time as Tyson’s low cross was tapped in by Onyedinma. However there was no time left to create any further openings, and the Dons saw the final few seconds out to clinch a 2-1 victory.
Wycombe’s first defeat in seven games sees them stay 9th in the table while Wimbledon remain rooted to the foot of the division and are still two points adrift. They will take heart from a committed performance though, and there are certainly signs that they are improving under Downes. The Boxing Day fixture against Plymouth, who are 23rd, looks to be a crucial match for both sides.
Ainsworth was disappointed with the result, especially after Wycombe let a two-goal lead slip at Gillingham last week. Yet going into Christmas 11 points clear of the bottom four is something that could only have been dreamed of back in August and they’ll look to improve that position as they face Burton and the Scunthorpe before the year is out.
WYCOMBE WANDERERS 1 (Onyedinma 90+2) WIMBLEDON 2 (Appiah 29, Jervis 90)
ATT 5814 (Away 600)
words Phil Slatter, D3D4 Wycombe Wanderers correspondent