AFC Wimbledon produce spirited display as Watford loanee and summer signing both on target

BY DANIEL MARSH

AFC Wimbledon resumed their pre-season campaign on Tuesday night with a spirited 3-2 defeat against Bristol City.

Goals from Adam Webster and a brace from Famara Diedhiou were enough to seal the victory for the visitors – despite a late fightback from Wally Downes’ men.

The hosts replied with a pair of second-half penalties from Adam Roscrow and the returning Michael Folivi.

City looked bright in the first half, and the Dons had to work hard to keep the contest level. However, City duly took the lead on the half-hour mark when a Niclas Eliasson corner was floated into a crowded penalty area, with Webster guiding a towering header home from close-range.

The hosts rallied towards the end of the first half, Joe Pigott headed off target from a deep corner at the far-post before Nesta Guinness-Walker conjured some excellent trickery on the left flank, ultimately shooting wide from a tight angle.

Within the opening two minutes of the second period, the Robin’s had re-asserted their authority. An impressive, concise move saw them swiftly move the ball from right to left, with Diedhiou cutting in from the wing and drilling home low from the edge of the area. It was a tough start to the half for Wimbledon and the deadly Diedhiou grabbed his second minutes later, sliding home a teasing cross from the right-hand side.

Wally Downes again fielded a different 11 on the hour mark, which included for the second time in a week trialist Jerome Binnom-Williams. He came on alongside the returning Folivi, whose season-long loan deal from Watford was announced earlier in the evening.

The Dons rallied in the second period through two penalties with substitute Jack Rudoni heavily involved in both. Roscrow stepped up first to send JoJo Wollacott the wrong way, before Folivi replicated the feat to ensure a nervy finale for the Robins, who survived yet another late penalty shout to see the game out despite some good attacking play from the hosts.

PICTURE BY PAUL EDWARDS