Dons Bounce Back With Southport Cruise

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Wimbledon 5 v Southport 0

Wimbledon eased back to the top of the table on Saturday (22 January) with a comfortable 5-0 home win over strugglers Southport.

After an initial flurry that saw Matty McNeill and John Paul Kissock have half chances, the visitors never got a look in and Seb Brown in the Wimbledon goal had possibly his quietest match for several weeks.

Despite having the upper hand, the Dons went in at half-time with just a 1-0 lead, Danny Kedwell delivering a 20th minute cross that James Mulley scrambled home at the second attempt.

But once the second half got underway, the Dons’ dominance was complete. The Dons doubled their lead after 50 minutes, when following a corner Luke Moore’s long-range effort was deflected past the despairing Tony McMillan.

Kirk Hudson then saw a long-range drive whistle just past the post, but moments later the third goal came, Sammy Moore capping a fine approach move involving namesake Luke and Kedwell by finishing with aplomb.

Three goals to the good and Wimbledon started easing off the pedal. Luke Moore and Christian Jolley had efforts denied, and it wasn’t until the closing minutes that the Dons rounded off the win with two late goals.

First Mark Nwokeji bamboozled Earl Davis into committing a foul inside the box, and Sam Hatton stepped up to blast the ball home from the spot.

And then Mulley – who caused problems for the visitors throughout the game with his energetic display – got his second of the game, breaking away to lift the ball over McMillan with the Southport defence floundering.

Mulley has now scored four times in seven games since joining the club, and afterwards delighted Dons boss Terry Brown told the Surrey Comet: “He gives us great energy and I have asked time after time for goals from midfield and it’s brilliant to have that now.

“Southport struggled to keep up with us in midfield and that’s pleasing. We’re starting to look solid.”

The Dons now face three tough away trips, with trips to Bath City (Tuesday travel to Bath City on Tuesday (25 January), Gateshead (Friday 28 January) and York City (Tuesday 1 February).

Attendance: 3,408

Wimbledon: Brown, Hatton, Gwillim, Gregory, Franks, Stuart, Mulley, S. Moore (Yussuff 75), Kedwell (Nwokeji 84), Hudson, L. Moore (Jolley 81). Subs not used: Turner, Harris.

Goalscorers: Mulley 20, 90, L. Moore 50, S. Moore 56, Hatton 86.

Southport: McMillan, Williams, McGinn (Lever 35), Davis, Marsh-Evans, Lee, Moogan (Powell 25), Blakeman (Barratt 71), Kissock, Ledsham, McNeil. Subs not used: Dickinson, Gray.

Booked: Kissock 49, Lee 76, Williams 90.

Referee: Stephen Ross (Lincolnshire).

Rob Crane

January 23, 2011