Kedwell Blasts Dons To Alty Win


Wimbledon 4 v Altrincham 1

Danny Kedwell scored a hat-trick as Wimbledon brushed aside Altrincham 4-1 at Kingsmeadow on Saturday (26 February) to maintain their lead at the top of the table.

The Dons captain was in rampaging form and could have scored double his tally against the Conference strugglers.

The first came after 37 minutes when Rashid Yussuff played an astute pass through the visitors’ defence and Kedwell, running off the shoulder of his marker, calmy slotted home the opening goal.

And the second came on the stroke of half-time when the two players combined again. Yussuff surged forwards from the halfway line before reaching the penalty box and sliding the ball through to Kedwell who assuredly sidefooted home.

In between those efforts James Mulley went close with a dipping effort that went narrowly over the bar.

In the second half, Seb Brown had to be alert to turn around one long-range Altrincham effort for a corner, but the victory was assured when Kedwell’s third came after 60 minutes. The former Grays man cleverly turned his marker and then evaded two challenges before firing home at the near post for his 20th league goal of the season.

Kirk Hudson could have made it four but dallied too long over his shot, before Altrincham got their consolation when Marc Joseph headed home at the far post from a corner.

But any fears of an unlikely comeback were curtailed as the Dons continued to push forwards. First substitute Drewe Broughton saw one effort curl narrowly wide before the visitors were reduced to 10 men when Steve Connors was shown a second yellow for a lunge on Sam Hatton.

Hudson’s cross saw Kedwell glance a header just wide, and the Brentford loanee was involved again to set up the fourth, bursting forward before playing a cross to Broughton in space who cut inside before releasing a shot that deflected into the back of the net.

But the Dons were forced to finish with 10 men when Yakubu fell victim to a wild lunge from Michael Twiss that forced his early retirement when all of the Dons’ substitutes had already been used. Twiss was deservedly booked for his foul.

The Dons now travel to Hayes & Yeading on Tuesday (1 March) before the trek to Grimsby Town next Saturday (5 March).

Attendance: 3,078

Wimbledon: Brown, Hatton (Franks 78), Gwillim, Gregory (Broughton 46), Johnson, Stuart (Yakubu 66), Mulley, Yussuff, Kedwell, Jolley, Hudson. Subs not used: Jackson, Turner.

Goalscorers: Kedwell 37, 45, 60, Broughton 81.

Booked: Gregory 31.

Altrincham: Dootson, Smith, Joseph, Williams (Beesley 46 (Danylyk 65)), Lawton, Reeves (Twiss 46), Clee, Baynes, Connors, Young, Piergianni. Subs not used: Coburn, Brown.

Goalscorer: Joseph 69.

Booked: Young 33, Piergianni 39, Connors 58, 75, Twiss 87.

Sent-off: Conners 75.

Referee: Lee Collins (Surrey).

Rob Crane

February 27, 2011