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Club News

Stanley 2 AFC Wimbledon 1

22 September 2018

Club News

Stanley 2 AFC Wimbledon 1

22 September 2018

Accrington Stanley celebrated their first win at the Wham Stadium this season with a 2-1 victory over AFC Wimbledon.

Goals from Billy Kee and Sean McConville sealed the three points although Neal Ardley's side came back and made sure the Reds didn't keep their first clean sheet of the campaign - and Mark Hughes had to head off the line in injury time.

Stanley bossed the first half, winger Jordan Clark went on a mazy run in the opening seconds, forcing a strong save out of Joe McDonnell and the Reds appealed for a spot kick as Offrande Zanzala was grounded as he went for the loose ball – referee Ross Joyce waved away any appeals.

Stanley were doing all the pressing and got off the mark in the sixth minute when Kee fired home from the edge of the area, low beyond McDonnell into the bottom corner. It was the striker's fourth goal of the season.

AFC Wimbledon tried to get straight back in it with unmarked Andy Barcham's fierce shot collected by Connor Ripley.

However, Stanley continued to threaten, Clark causing all kinds of problems for the Dons defence, with Kee being denied by McDonnell and McConville seeing an effort saved by the keeper and one blocked as it was one-way traffic.

Sam Finley fired over from distance but, while it was 1-0, the Dons were a threat with Ripley denying Joe Pigott.

Clark's deflected effort was easy for McDonnell as the Reds couldn't double their advantage before the break.

Liam Trotter should have levelled for Wimbledon immediately after the interval as he charged onto the ball six yards out but the Reds defence managed to block his effort.

James Hanson struck narrowly over as the Dons enjoyed a good start to the second half.

However it was McConville who doubled Stanley's lead on 60 minutes with a shot from the edge of the area which took a deflection and looped over McDonnell.

The Dons replied on 64 minutes with substitute Scott Wagstaff racing down the left and hit an unstoppable shot past Ripley.

They could have levelled a minute later but a strike from fellow sub Jake Jervis was tipped over by Ripley.

John Coleman made a double substitution on 74 minutes and one of them, Scott Brown, wasn't far off adding to the tally with his first touch, with his shot just wide.

But it did need more heroics from Ripley to keep out Jervis while Kee shot just wide and sub Connor Hall was denied by McDonnell in an end-to-end finale with Hughes denying Pigott a point at the death.


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