Hincks nets hat-trick as Dons beat Cambridge in front of record Plough Lane crowd
BY ISABELLE ROGERSON
AFC Wimbledon kept their three-point lead over Norwich at the top of the National League Division One South East after a 6-0 win in front of a record 1410 Plough Lane crowd over Cambridge on Sunday.
The first chance of the game fell to the Dons as the team won a set piece outside the area.
Ashlee Hincks stood over it and sent a lofting ball into Ashleigh Goddard, but her effort went over the post.
After 20 minutes of an evenly poised game, the Dons struck first. Emily Donovan capitalised on a Cambridge mistake from the back and chipped the ball beautifully over Lauren Webb in goal and into the net, to make it 1-0 to the home side.
Ten minutes before the end of the first half, Emily Donovan doubled her goal tally and doubled the Dons’ lead to make it 2-0 to Wimbledon. The Cambridge United goalkeeper punched the ball out from a free kick, but only as far as Emily Donovan, who made no mistake and slotted the ball home into the bottom corner.
Lauren Allen pulled out an excellent stop to deny Cambridge a goal in the opening stages of the second half.
Ashlee Hincks sent in a fantastic ball from the corner flag, that was met excellently by Ashleigh Goddard, but her effort was tipped over the bar brilliantly by Cambridge’s Lauren Webb.
The Dons caused all sorts of issues for Cambridge as they searched for a third goal. After a mix-up in the box, the ball landed at Ashlee Hincks’ feet, who diverted it goalward. A deflection carried the ball into the net, and Wimbledon took a 3-0 lead.
After 3-0, Kevin Foster made his first change, as Sandra Soares Martins replaced Ashleigh Goddard.
Not long after, a Cambridge error resulted in an own goal that gifted the Dons a fourth, as it was AFC Wimbledon Women 4-0 Cambridge United.
Hannah Mackenzie was then introduced as she replaced Rosie Russell.
Lauren Allen wasn’t called into action much throughout the game, but when she was, she produced some excellent saves to preserve the clean sheet.
Skye Bacon grabbed an assist on her debut as she sent the ball into the box towards Ashlee Hincks, who made no mistake, and stuck her shot away to grab herself a brace, to make it 5-0 to the home side.
The goals were flowing at Plough Lane as the Dons were awarded a spot kick for a handball in the area. Ashlee Hincks stepped up and made it 6-0 to AFC Wimbledon.
PICTURE: EMILY TOPPING
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