Don's lose Supporters Direct Cup

Source: icSouthlondon

Ray Armfield Reports From Gigg Lane

FC UNITED 2 AFC WIMBLEDON 1

THE welcome from the hosts to the 300 travelling Dons was as warm as the Gigg Lane weather, but it didn't stop FC United removing AFC Wimbledon's grip on the Supporters Direct Cup.

With manager Dave Anderson away on holiday and his assistant Jon Turner on honeymoon, coaches Warren Kelly and Simon Bassey took charge for this trip to Lancashire.

The Dons opened brightly with much of the early play seeing wing-back Michael Haswell and Paul Barnes combine well to give United's Matty Taylor a torrid first half.

After another pacy run from Barnes forced Phil Melville into a fine diving parry, Wes Daly's resulting corner was headed against the bar by Steve Butler and Barnes was on hand to sweep in the loose ball in predatory fashion.

Wimbledon looked in control during the opening 45 minutes, with Daly and Haswell both wasting opportunities to extend the lead. But a quadruple AFC substitution at half-time seemed to cost the Dons their rhythm and a warning of what was to come saw Josh Howard rattle the upright early in the second period.

Josh Lennie did well to block a Rory Patterson effort shortly after, but both he and the Wimbledon defence allowed FCUM skipper Dave Brown to power home an unmarked equaliser from the corner.

A couple of niggly challenges not in keeping with the spirit of the afternoon, spilled over into an altercation between Simon Carden and Scott Curley and both were dismissed by referee Rob Goodwin.

United put Wimbledon on the backfoot for the remainder of the game and, with a quarter of an hour remaining, Steve Torpey dispossessed a hesitant Steve Wales and proceeded to curl a delightful cross-shot past Lennie into the top corner for the winner.

Darren Grieves managed to rob Melville on the edge of the area late on, but could only fire over. There was even a late cameo appearance by Rhodri Giggs - brother of Manchester United's Ryan - before both sets of fans swapped handshakes as the special relationship between these two clubs was further cemented.

MATCH FACTS

GOALSCORERS: FC United of Manchester - Brown (51), Torpey (75); AFC Wimbledon - Barnes (15). TEAMS: FC United - (4-4-2) Melville, Taylor, Mortimer (Orr 75), Spencer, Brown, Nugent (McCartney 70), J Howard (Swarbrick 85), Carden, Rudd (Mike 80), Torpey (Giggs 89), Patterson (Smith 77). Not used: Newbrick.

AFC Wimbledon - (3-5-2) Little (Lennie 46), Wales, Haswell, A Howard, S Butler (Sobihy 46), Finnie, Daly, Garrard (Curley 46), Barnes (Goddard 87), Grieves, Paris (Ursell 46). Not used: McLaren. ATTENDANCE: 2,136.