AFC Wimbledon 0 Dover Athletic 1
Friendly Match
Saturday 13th August 2005

AFC Wimbledon: Andy Little, Wes Daly, Dave Sargent (Amadou Kouman, 83mins), Wayne Finnie, Mark Cooper (C), Antony Howard, Matt York, Micky Woolner, Richard Butler (Ryan Gray, 83mins), Shane Smeltz (Sonny Farr, 46mins), Jeff Campbell (Matt Fowler, 46mins).

Subs Not Used: Stefan Wojciechowski, Barry Moore.

Booking: Matt York (30mins)

Dover Athletic: Paul Hyde, Tony Browne, Daniel Braithwaite, Dean Readings, Craig Cloke, Nicky Humphrey, Danny Chapman, Lee Spiller (C), Craig Wilkins, Tommy Tyne, Anthony Hogg.

Subs Not Used: Dale Skelton, Chris Wright, Laurence Ball, Darren Smith.

Referee: Declan Ford
Assistants: Simon Maynard and Lee Forrester

Attendance: 811

Whites finally ended their pre-season programme with a really encouraging victory over AFC Wimbledon. It was a really accomplished performance by the Whites, who didn’t let their opponents from the league above play, and the win was secured with a bullet header from Craig Wilkins.

The starting line-up was the same as it has been for the majority of the pre-season, as we have a settled side unlike most of last season. Craig Cloke played despite bruising his ribs last Saturday, but there was no place for Walid Matata who was injured in the game at Folkestone midweek.

With rain pouring throughout the game, and both sides mindful of the start of the season only a week away, it was a tentative start to proceedings, with few decent chances for either side. Striker Richard Butler shot over for the home side, and Cloke and Braithwaite both went close, but none of the efforts on goal unduly troubled either keeper.

Midway through the half, Whites went close after Wilkins had fed Spiller though the centre, but the midfielder shot wide under pressure from two Dons defenders. The former Welling man was causing the home side problems though marauding from midfield, and also went close when he headed Tyne's cross into the side netting.

The game got a bit tasty when Matt York was booked for a foul on Anthony Hogg, but soon afterwards Wimbledon had the best chance of the half. A good one-two between Richard Butler and Shane Smeltz left the latter through on goal, but a superb save down to his left by Hyde kept the scores level.

Dons could have taken the lead moments before the interval when Micky Woolner headed Wes Daly's cross just wide, but the score remained level at halftime.

Wimbledon made two changes at the start of the second period as they sought to change the game, and although Butler headed over soon after the restart it was the Whites who had the better of the second half.

We went close when a Tyne header looped onto the top of the bar, and Hogg headed a corner just wide, but we were unable to turn all the possession into goals.

Soon after Butler had wasted a header for the home side, the large band of travelling Whites thought that the breakthrough had arrived. Tyne capitalised on a mistake by Wayne Finnie, and his cross found Wilkins 12-yards out. Seemingly about to smash the ball home, he slipped in the wet conditions and the chance went begging.

But with fifteen minutes to go, the goal that we deserved came. Browne collected the ball down the right, cut back onto his left foot and swung an inswinging cross into the centre, and Wilkins fired a strong header past keeper Andy Little.

Wimbledon made a couple more changes for the final ten minutes, and could have drawn level when substitute Amadou Kouman's curling shot hit the back stanchion of the goal, but Whites contained everything the home side threw at them.

This was such an encouraging performance by the Whites, and should give them confidence going into the first match of the season on Saturday. I for one can't wait for the real stuff to start, and let's hope we can get a positive start against Dulwich, as this match shows that if we play to our strengths we have a chance against anybody.

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