Tottenham 3 AFC Wimbledon 0 – Dons provide 45 minutes of frustration at Wembley but Harry Kane was not to be denied

By Anthony Scales

AFC Wimbledon’s valiant rearguard action saw them go in goalless at half-time against Spurs at Wembley – and even give the hosts a couple of scares – but two goals in two minutes from England’s Harry Kane undid the Dons’ hard work as eight-time FA Cup winners Tottenham eventually progressed to the fourth round.

With Tottenham predictably hogging possession, the Dons survived a couple of early scares as Deji Oshilaja put in a saving tackle on Kane and goalkeeper George Long stood up well to keep out an Erik Lamela snapshot before Kane slashed an effort off target in the 24^th minute.

But Jimmy Abdou was inches from a sensational opener for Wimbledon in the 29^th minute, when his rising drive was pushed onto the bar by Tottenham’s Michel Vorm and hit the back of the keeper’s head on the way back out before the Dutchman gathered a follow-up effort from Liam Trotter.

Kane dragged a shot inches wide of Long’s goal shortly afterwards and drew another stop from the Dons keeper in the 35^th minute. Spurs should have broken through six minutes later, when a flowing move culminated in the England man setting Lamela through on goal only for the Argentine to dink his effort wide of Long’s left-hand post.

The Dons went close again after the break when a Darius Charles header was clawed over by Vorm in the 49^th minute and there was drama at the other end three minutes later, when a low effort from Mousa Dembele scudded against Long’s right-hand post and back into the keeper’s arms.

After Tottenham substitute Heung-Min Son went close, the hosts finally broke the Dons’ resistance in the 63^rd minute, when Kieran Trippier went down the right and picked out Moussa Sissoko, who squared for Kane to bundle the ball home.

And it was 2-0 less than two minutes later as Kyle Walker-Peters’ ball in from the left was deflected and Kane got in front of Jonathan Meades to claim his second.

Tottenham centre-back Jan Vertonghen scored the goal of the game in the 71^st minute, firing a tremendous effort across Long from just outside the D. Son saw an effort deflected up and over the Dons keeper five minutes from time before coming back to the shotstopper off the inside of a post.