AFC Wimbledon 0-3 Ipswich Town - Match Report Saturday, 16th Jul 2022 16:17 Sam Morsy scored twice and Tyreece John-Jules once as Town comfortably defeated AFC Wimbledon 3-0 at Plough Lane. Morsy netted the first on 12, Arsenal loanee John-Jules netted his first goal for the Blues three minutes after the break and the Town skipper lofted the third over home keeper Nik Tzanev on 57, Summer signings Freddie Ladapo, Greg Leigh and John-Jules were among the starters in the Blues’ second senior friendly of the day, but there was no place for latest addition Marcus Harness. John-Jules, on loan from Arsenal for the season, joined Conor Chaplin behind lone out-and-out striker Ladapo. Christian Walton was in goal with Luke Woolfenden and Cameron Burgess the centre-halves in a four-man backline with Leigh and Idris El Mizouni the full-backs. Captain Morsy and Lee Evans were the central midfielders with Kane Vincent-Young wide on the right, John-Jules on the left and Conor Chaplin in the centre behind lone out-and-out striker Ladapo. On five, Chaplin struck a shot which home keeper Tzanev diverted past the post but seven minutes later the Blues, watched by Three Lion Mark Detmer from the stand and wearing their home kit, went in front. The ball was laid off to Morsy five yards outside the area where he took a touch and struck a low shot past home keeper Tzanev to his right and into the corner of the net. The players from this morning’s friendly at Crystal Palace joined the Blues support behind the goal at the end Town were defending before Chaplin worked himself space and hit a low shot which Tzanev saved. Morsy looked to get the rebound but the linesman’s flag was raised. After a drinks break midway through the half at a sweltering Plough Lane, John-Jules wasn’t far away from making it 2-0 with a shot which was deflected behind after a sweeping move across the field which ended with Leigh crossing. From the corner, the ball appeared to fall to Burgess and then Leigh but was cleared, however, only as far as Evans whose curling effort was saved down to his right by Tzanev. On 32 Morsy scuffed a low shot from distance through to Tzanev with the Blues having been well in control throughout with keeper Walton having had a quiet afternoon, although on six minutes before the break Luke McCormick scraped an effort well wide from the edge of the area. That was the last action of the half, surprisingly given the game was only in its 43rd minute when the referee blew his whistle. The Blues had been very comfortable for the most part and well in charge. Aside from Morsy’s goal, Tzanev had been forced into one or two other saves, while Walton was yet to be tested. Town stuck with the same XI at the start of the second half and within three minutes of the restart it was 2-0. After good work from Ladapo on the left following a Blues break from the back, Chaplin outmuscled a number of defenders as he danced his way into the area before cutting across to John-Jules to stroke into an empty net as Tzanev advanced. The Blues weren’t far away from a third in the 49th minute, Leigh heading over after Ladapo had crossed from the left of the box. The left-back suffered a knock as he dived to reach the ball but quickly ran off the problem. Town continued to dominate and on 55 they almost made it 3-0. Following a spell of pressure, a loose ball fell to Chaplin, who hit a low shot which Tzanev just stopped as it appeared to have crept under him. Two minutes later it was three via Morsy’s second of the afternoon. The Egyptian international picked up a loose pass from Tzanev midway inside the Wimbledon half, spotted the keeper off his line and deftly floated the ball over him and into the net. It should have been four in the 62nd minute, John-Jules scraping wide when he should have scored from Morsy’s low cross from the left, then a minute later Ladapo, a significant threat in the second half, cut in from the left and hit a low shot which Tzanev held onto. Ladapo was fed through one-on-one with Tzanev by Chaplin on 70 but the keeper came out and smothered his effort. Tom Hughes replaced John-Jules, who will be pleased to have got off the mark and will have impressed his new fans with his display, although will probably feel he should have scored more, in the 71st minute while Wimbledon swapped half their team. Leigh, who caught the eye at left-back as he has throughout pre-season, volleyed at Tzanev from a tight angle in the 76th minute. Hughes curled over from distance as the game moved into its final 10 minutes, before Town swapped El Mizouni for Matt Ward and Vincent-Young for Edwin Agbaje, the Republic of Ireland U18 international’s first senior side involvement. Town continued to dominate with Leigh fizzing a low cross for Hughes on 89 which was slid behind by a home defender. A very comfortable afternoon for the Blues who won at a canter and could and probably should have scored more than three times. Following the second goal, there was a spell in which it looked like Town could score with every attack. At the other end, keeper Walton will have few quieter afternoons with Wimbledon not managing a shot on target or serious opportunity. Manager Kieran McKenna is will have been delighted with the display with the Blues next in action away against Championship Millwall at the Den next Saturday. Wimbledon: Tzanev, Gunter (Mason 78), Nightingale (Ogundere 61), Marsh (Trialist 71), Trialist (Frimpong 71), Assal (Jenkins 71), Chislett (Bendle 71), Pearce (Sutcliffe 71), McCormick (Trialist 71), Currie (Adjei-Hersey 61), Kalambayi (Robinson 71). Unused: Broome. Town: Walton, El Mizouni (Ward 83), Woolfenden, Burgess, Vincent-Young (Agbaje 83), Evans, Morsy, Leigh, Chaplin, John-Jules (Hughes 71), Ladapo. Unused: Hayes. Att: 2,463.
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