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AFC Wimbledon 0-2 Ipswich Town - Match Report
Tuesday, 25th Jan 2022 21:48

Wes Burns made it a Burns Night to remember for Town fans as the Welshman netted twice to see the Blues to a 2-0 victory at AFC Wimbledon and up to eighth in the table, five points from the play-offs. Burns shot across the keeper in the 61st minute after good work from Kayden Jackson and James Norwood, then added the second on 87 after sub Macauley Bonne had found him with a cross-field pass. In the dying moments, the Blues were reduced to 10 men when Kane Vincent-Young was dismissed for a second bookable offence.

Tyreeq Bakinson was handed his full debut as Blues boss Kieran McKenna made four changes.

Bakinson came in at the centre midfield for suspended captain Samy Morsy alongside Tom Carroll with Lee Evans again absent having suffered a groin niggle in the warm-up on Saturday. George Edmundson skippered in Morsy’s absence.

Up front, Macauley Bonne dropped to the bench after 22 successive league starts with Norwood returning to the XI.

Bersant Celina and Conor Chaplin were also among the subs having started and impressed at the weekend, while Jackson returned alongside Norwood for his first start since the 3-0 loss at Northampton in April with Sone Aluko in the number 10 role.

Former Wimbledon striker Joe Pigott was on the Blues’ bench, while Tomas Holy was the sub keeper with Vaclav Hladky again not in the squad.

Paul Osew blazed an early shot well over for the home side, who started on the front foot with the Blues, wearing their white and black away kit, not able to make any headway into the Dons’ half.

However, as the game moved towards the 15-minute mark, Town began to see more of the ball and begin to press and probe the Wimbledon backline with Jackson often drifting to wide on the left and having balls played ahead of him to chase.

Burns saw a cross cut out from the right, then Vincent-Young stumbled over the ball in a dangerous position on the left of the box.

In the 22nd minute, with Town now well in control of the game, Burns and Janoi Donacien exchanged passes on the right before the Welshman crossed for Norwood, who scuff to home keeper Nik Tzanev.

Two minutes later, Jackson sent over a dangerous low ball from the left which Nesta Guinness-Walker turned behind at the far post.

Town kept up the pressure, Donacien winning a corner with a cross from the right, then Bakinson hit a shot which was deflected behind for a flag-kick on the other side.

On 36, Bakinson, playing ahead of the deeper-lying Carroll in the centre of midfield, clipped a ball forward to Norwood to chase and the striker managed to get in a cross which was put behind.

Town continued to dominate possession and a minute later, Jackson crossed from the left to Bakinson who was unable to get enough on it at the far post under pressure.


In the 39th minute dedicated Blues pressing saw Wimbledon lose possession in their own half and eventually, after good work from Donacien and Aluko, Burns’s cross-shot was palmed behind by Tzanev.

Wimbledon hit the post in the 42nd minute through Ethan Chislett after a spell of sloppy play by the Blues but referee Lee Swabey had already called play back for a foul.

Swabey blew his whistle to end the half with the scoreboard showing that the half had another 30 seconds of normal time to play let alone anything added on for stoppages, much to the surprise of the players and annoyance of the crowd.

The referee pointed to his watch indicating that the 45 minutes was up on that regardless of whether the scoreboard said otherwise.

Wimbledon had started brightly but the Blues had got themselves on top and dominating the ball by the quarter-hour mark.

However, they were never at their most fluid and were unable to create a clear-cut chance and as at Bolton recently, became sloppy in the minutes up to the break, while rarely looking under any threat at the other end.

Two minutes after the restart, Luke McCormick burst away past a number of Town players before being felled by Edmundson just outside the area with the stand-in Blues captain adamant he had won the ball.

The centre-half’s protests got him nowhere and he was shown the game’s first yellow card before McCormick curled the resultant free-kick well into the stand.

Wimbledon continued to have the better of the early stages of the second half and in the 52nd minute they hit the post.

Dons skipper Ben Heneghan smashed a deep corner goalwards, Woolfenden’s foot diverted it onto the inside of the post and the Blues just about managed to clear.

McCormick was booked for pulling back Aluko as the Town forward broke on 54 as the Blues began to regain some control after another under-par start to a half.

Three minutes later a Burns cross from the right was turned behind at the near post by Heneghan as the Blues began to prepare Celina and Chaplin for their introductions.

But before they could come on, Town took the lead. The ball was played down the left for Jackson to chase, he played it inside to Norwood who turned it on to Burns breaking into the box on the right, his most fruitful area of the pitch goals-wise this season.

The Welshman took a couple of touches before shooting across Tzanev and into the net for his seventh goal of the season.

As the 1,200 Town fans celebrated and blue smoke swept across the pitch, Wimbledon made their first change, Anthony Hartigan replacing Ethan Chislett.

Town went looking for a second, Aluko leaving two men for dead on the left of the area following a corner before twice seeing cross-shots blocked, the second looping up into the air but with no Blues player able to get in a header.

The Wombles made a second change in the 67th minute, Terry Ablade taking over from Aaron Cosgrave

After Wimbledon had seen a shot from McCormick blocked, Blues keeper Christian Walton rushed off his line to thwart Ablade, the sub having chased a ball through the middle, Town made their delayed substitution.

Chaplin and Celina took over from Aluko and Jackson, who will have been delighted to have played a part in Town’s goal on his return to the XI.

McCormick curled another effort wide on 72 with the home side by no means out of the game.

Five minutes later, Osew Cruyff-turned Celina before taking the ball on and hitting a shot which Walton saved down to his left.

After McCormick had volleyed deep into the stand behind the goal, Town swapped Norwood, who made his way off the field at a glacial pace, for Bonne, while the home side switched McCormick for Dapo Mebude.

Vincent-Young was booked for taking his time over a throw-in deep on the left in the 87th minute, before Town sealed the points.

Bonne dug the ball out of a tight area on halfway on the Blues’ left and played a cross-field pass for Burns, who took it on into the area before hitting a shot from a tight angle which went over the line off a defender, taking the former Fleetwood man’s tally for the season to eight and three in his last two games.

Deep in injury time and moments before the whistle, Town were reduced to 10 men when Vincent-Young was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Mebude.

The Blues had to defend the resultant free-kick before referee Swabey brought the game to an end.

A deserved victory for the Blues despite not being at their best and another one they were made to work for by a determined Wimbledon side, who came close to going in front just after half-time.

Clear-cut chances were again difficult to find but once again it was Burns’s running into space from right wing-back and his clinical finishing which won the game for the Blues.

Town have now won four of their last five since new manager McKenna took charge and are working up a head of steam as the season moves towards its final third with a visit to Sheffield Wednesday - a point and a place behind the Blues but with two games in hand - up next on Saturday.

AFC Wimbledon: Tzanev, Csoka, Marsh, Assal, Chislett (Hartigan 63), Rudoni, Guinness-Walker, McCormick (Mebude 84), Heneghan (c), Osew, Cosgrave (Ablade 67). Unused: Oualah, Nightingale, Alexander, Mebude, Ablade, Kalinauskas.

Town: Walton, Donacien, Woolfenden, Edmundson (c), Burns, Bakinson, Carroll, Aluko (Celina 71), Vincent-Young, Norwood (Bonne 84), Jackson (Chaplin 71). Unused: Holy, Burgess, Edwards, Pigott. Referee: Lee Swabey (Devon). Att: 8,117 (Town: 1,200).


Photo: Pagepix



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BromleyBloo added 21:50 - Jan 25
Great, we win again (4/5) and in the end comfortably, but far from a top performance and at times we seemed to be trying to give a not very good Wimbledon side chances to score. So hard work at times until the first goal and even then we gave them some opportunities. Subs seemed to settle us down and by the end with our better players on the pitch our quality showed.

Burns very good, Walton solid as ever and I like the look of Bakinson - strong, calm and technically good on first showings, which helped given Morsy's absence. KVY a bit unlucky I think. In the first half strikers and midfield really struggled and please, please sell Jackson ASAP…………….

So not at our best and we got away with resting some of our best players for Sat, which will be a much bigger challenge as Wimbledon a pretty poor side that we should've buried like Gillingham.

…………..and Plymouth drop two points!

COYB!!!
8

RobsonWark added 21:50 - Jan 25
Not the best performance under KMcK. No doubt because of the four changes to the starting line-up. We really missed Morsey tonight.
Not impressed with Bakinson at all. He looked like a headless chicken running around not knowing what to do. I don't remember him making a tackle.
What was Jackson doing? He hugged that left touchline more than Prince Andrew hugs his teddy bears. We are supposed to be playing two upfront, ie two strikers. He needed to be playing in the box with Norwood. Not a great pass from Jackson to Norwood either but a great turn by Norwood to set up Burns for the goal.
-9

Gforce added 21:50 - Jan 25
Cool hand Keiran,the new tinkerman.......Genius
2

RobsonWark added 21:51 - Jan 25
Wes Burns has to be Man of the Match for me.
KYV sent of tonight probably means Penny will be back on Saturday - GUTTED! Hopefully Bailey Clements will be available.
2

DifferentGravy added 21:52 - Jan 25
Well done lads. Good effort put in by all. Not sure we would have gotten away with team selection against a better team but ultimately who can argue with Mckenna as it paid off. Bakinson did well on debut, Woolfy and Walton very solid. Aluko tireless running and Burns a big danger for any opposition. Nit great, not pretty but needed to win this......and did. COYB
11

TimmyH added 21:52 - Jan 25
3 points the all important thing tonight but the performance wasn't the best, lack of quality and creativity in midfield and particularly towards the final third - without Burns tonight we would have got a point at best. Midfield 3 all a bit alien to each other and rather a strange starting line up.

A good Burns night though! :)


4

Saxonblue74 added 21:52 - Jan 25
3 points, one or two good performances with Burns being the obvious. Never really looked in trouble. My only real gripe is Jackson, I just don't see what he adds? Apart from gifting them an opportunity for Walton to save his bacon!
5

PrrrromotionGiven added 21:52 - Jan 25
Dons & Plymouth must be looking over their shoulders now.
2

TimmyH added 21:54 - Jan 25
By the way do we actually practice corners? hopeless they get one and nearly score.
7

cat added 21:54 - Jan 25
It's official, we're on a roll. Four wins in five and momentum's building. Average performance but we dominated and we looked like a proper team. Edmundson's pure quality and great with the ball, top,top player!
8

carsey added 21:54 - Jan 25
Great result and welcome 3 points but I can't help feeling we got away with it. Midfield very unimpressive without Morsey dictating things. KVY stupid 1st booking messing about and wasting time with throw ins.
What is the point of Jackson?
4

Saxonblue74 added 21:55 - Jan 25
Can't agree re Bakinson Robsonwark. I thought he looked strong and played some intelligent stuff, a real positive.
16

thechangingman added 21:58 - Jan 25
Gosh! I could easily get used to positivity, hope and winning.

Let's keep rolling on, letting McKenna bed in, and our optimism grow...

COYB!!!
12

chopra777 added 21:59 - Jan 25
Another 3 points from a good attacking display. The Dons defended well in the first half otherwise the game would have been completed by half time. TB had a fair game but needs more team integration. Burns was on fire tonight (sorry about the pun).. Otherwise we were not really in trouble. Onwards and upwards.
3

Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 22:00 - Jan 25
Agreed it wasn't our best performance, but it was pretty decent overall and we deserved to win. I'm a bit surprised by the negative comment about Bakinson. For a guy who has only just joined and hasn't yet had time to get to know the other players, I think he did very well. Without Morsy AND without Bakinson, we would have been in a worse place. Bonne, Celina, and Chaplin are all starters in my strongest team, but resting them worked out well tonight. Kudos to the 1200 who made the trip on a Tuesday night. Another three points is what really counts.
9

Whos_blue added 22:02 - Jan 25
A little sloppy in places, but overall I thought it was a good performance. Lots of energy and the ball moved around and forward in neat triangles and at pace. When this team settles we really are going to be something special.
I can't agree with headless chicken remark about Backinson. I thought he looked assured and full of energy. Always ready to receive the ball and rarely gave the ball away. Always looking for the positive pass too.
On top of all this I thought Carroll looked much better too.
A silly first booking for KVY. His second was a definite yellow, so can't have too many complaints, but does present an unwanted problem for Saturday.
We've given ourselves a mountain to climb to reach the top six, but there's only one way to achieve that: One step at a time.
8

TimmyH added 22:02 - Jan 25
@cat - usually agree with your posts but felt Edmundson didn't have one of his better games tonight, a few mistakes and never felt we dominated that game as you suggest (certainly 2nd half). As for Bakinson he looks one of those physical 'leggy' players, good for a battle in the middle but didn't see that much quality but will give him a break as he's played less than 1 and 1/2 games.
1

Saxonblue74 added 22:05 - Jan 25
Agree re Edmundson TimmyH. Maybe Skipper doesn't suit him?
0

lucas10 added 22:06 - Jan 25
Good performance and did what was needed against a very average Wimbledon. Brave team selection from K McK and paid off with rests for Celina / Bonne / Chaplin ahead of the weekend. Good to see Bakinson get the full 90, solid on the ball but needs to do more if paired again with Carroll as we miss Morsy's dynamism.

Burns the difference maker again, a top talent for this league and fun to watch. Walton & Edmundson also top class again tonight. Jackson the weak link and a large reason why we didn't look threatening in the first half, didn't do Norwood any favours whatsoever.

Keeps the dream alive ahead of a season defining match on Saturday - a must not lose!
3

bixleyboy added 22:06 - Jan 25
Very difficult to watch at some points but credit the team took the opportunities when given, I see progress, we wouldn't have got 3 points there under cook. Big six pointer Saturday.
2

Hiltzkooler added 22:07 - Jan 25
not sure the game was as bad as mick mills said but certainly we let them have too many chances.....needs to improve saturday....intrigued as to why jackson ahead of piggott.....pace maybe?...either way we had some really good moments with some quality play....norwood not effective tonight sadly but i did like Bakinsons contribution....contrary to what some may have (not) seen....Morsy missed though.....but could Idris not have contributed ?....a few questions about selection I have to say....but not concerns...in KM we trust!!!
3

runningout added 22:09 - Jan 25
Been lucky the last couple of games. Hope it continues with some ruthlessness from us
0

suffolkblueeye added 22:24 - Jan 25
Kvy was rubbish, nothing down the left, pass back crap, Burns is the only creative output, sign Burns, I said it on here continuously before we signed him…
0

FrankMarshall added 22:27 - Jan 25
We have been lucky but a good result is a good result regardless. Points wise we are not far off now from where we were last season.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56134855
1

ThaiBlue added 22:41 - Jan 25
Good win but not a great performance.think we pass the ball 2 much and try to walk the ball into the net,3pts this is more important i no but have to improve.
-1


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