Majestic AFC Wimbledon Rock Robins of Cheltenham

AFC Wimbledon 4, Cheltenham Town 1 

A superb performance from AFC Wimbledon banished the horrible memories of Tuesday night’s heavy defeat to Northampton in the best way possible at Kingsmeadow.

In blustery conditions, the game got off to a scrappy start, with the visitors settling first. Cheltenham striker Jeff Gouding headed over twice in the early exchanges, while Danny Andrew bent the ball just wide from a free kick.

But the Dons took the lead on the half-hour with their first real effort. Excellent build-up play by Sam Hatton resulted in an excellent cross, converted with a wicked header, into the bottom corner by Ricky Wellard.

A second was soon to follow, Cheltenham’s Keith Lowe slipping to allow Lee Minshull time and space to drill a low cross through the area. The unfortunate Steve Elliot deflected the ball past his keeper, Jack Butland.

The second half opened with two injury scares for Wimbledon. Wellard was taken off at halftime after suffering breathlessness, while the lively Djalili limped off with a suspected hamstring tear. But it made little difference, as their replacements—Luke Moore and Rashid Yusseff—looked lively.

And it was the extremely impressive Yusseff who crossed the ball over the top of a static Cheltenham defence, with Jack Midson stealing in for the third with an expertly controlled and calm finish in the bottom corner.

It was four with minutes to spare and a much deserved Yusseff goal. He had three bites at the cherry from a Moore cross, being denied twice by Butland before slotting the ball through the keeper’s legs.

Cheltenham got a late consolation with a minute remaining, Daryl Duffy heading the ball past Seb Brown after a direct through-ball, but, if anything, Wimbledon looked likely to add further to their tally towards the end of the game.

The midfield display particularly will give Terry Brown a selection headache ahead of next Saturday’s trip to Bradford.

AFC Wimbledon: Brown, Hatton, Gwillim, Stuart, McNaughton, Wellard (Yusseff), Minshull (Porter), S Moore, Djalili (L Moore), Midson.