Dons Embarrassed By Lowly Barnet

---

Barnet 4 v Wimbledon 0

Wimbledon were humiliated as they sank to a 4-0 defeat at relegation-threatened Barnet on Saturday (28 April).

The Dons were cheered on by a large travelling contingent for their final away game of the season but produced a limp performance that left many expressing their displeasure at the final whistle.

Manager Terry Brown made five changes from the side that beat Torquay last week but the players were again left exposed by their boss’s perplexing midfield formation that too often ceded possession and territory to the home side, leaving the Dons' frantic defence trying to hold things together.

Young goalkeeper Jack Turner was in action in the 11th minute when he did well to turn away a drive by Wimbledon's old Conference South adversary, Ricky Holmes, who had been allowed to cut in from the right before unleashing his drive.

And veteran Jamie Stuart, recently restored to the side, did well to deny Scott McGleish. Stuart’s defence partner, Mat Mitchel-King, was also called into action, blocking a goal-bound Scott Deering effort.

The home side took the lead just after the half hour. Izale McLeod picked up the ball on the edge of the Dons’ box and found Holmes running in unmarked; his shot evaded Turner’s grasp to put Barnet 1-0 up.

In contrast, Wimbledon were creating nothing more than the occasional half chance; indeed, they failed to register a shot on target throughout the whole game. Sam Hatton went closest with one long-range dipping effort that went just over.

Then the Dons were hit by a quick-fire trio in the last nine minutes as the home side ended up with a comfortable win.

First Hatton was guilty of overcovering in the centre, allowing Holmes to exploit the gap left by the diamond midfield to rampage down the left before delivering a cross-cum-shot that Turner could only spill to the feet of the unmarked Sam Deering to make it 2-0.

Then Hatton lunged into a challenge on Holmes on the halfway line that the former Chelmsford man skipped past. With Hatton trailing in his wake, Holmes burst into the box before playing a low cross that the unmarked Ben May converted at the far post to make it 3-0.

And it was 4-0 right at the death, as Mark Byrne unleashed a long-range effort that Turner could only parry upwards, with the onrushing Mark Hughes reacting quicker than the Dons defenders to complete the rout.

Afterwards, Dons boss Brown refused to offer any consolation to his players, telling BBC London 94.9: "I told my players to reflect upon the fact that it might be the last league game some of them will ever play."

The Dons round off their first season back in the Football League by hosting Shrewsbury Town on Saturday (5 May).

Attendance: 4,422

Barnet: Brill, Mustoe, Hector, Saville (Downing 46), Kamdjo, Hughes, Byrne, Deering, McGleish (Ganbin 87), Holmes, McLeod (May 80). Subs not used: O’Brien, Yiadom.

Goalscorers: Holmes 33, Deering 81, May 86, Hughes 90.

Booked: Mustoe 37.

Wimbledon: Turner, Hatton, Bush, Wellard (Knott 58), Mitchel-King, Stuart, Yussuff, Moncur, Harrison, Jolley (Midson 58), Kiernan (L. Moore 70). Subs not used: Brown, Jones.

By Rob Crane

What do you think of Wimbledon's recent performances? Why not comment on our forum?

www.wimbledonsw19.com are the proud sponsors of Marcus Gayle's away kit

April 29, 2012