AFC Wimbledon 3-4 Cray Wanderers - I want to get to a Cup Final, says Ian Jenkins

AFC WIMBLEDON 3-4 CRAY WANDERERS
London Senior Cup (Sponsored by Coventry Scaffolding) Quarter-Final
Wednesday 13^th March 2013
Stephen McCartney reports from Kingsmeadow Stadium

CRAY WANDERERS boss Ian Jenkins suggests that this season’s London Senior Cup Final should be staged at Hayes Lane if his side – and landlords Bromley – make it through.

Bromley were the first to reach the Semi-Finals after beating Ryman League Division One South side Tooting & Mitcham United 2-0 at Hayes Lane last night, courtesy of second half goals from Elliott Buchanan and a debut goal from academy prospect, substitute Felix Ogeah.

They will travel to Ryman Premier League side Wingate & Finchley in the Semi-Finals and Cray Wanderers will travel to either Dulwich Hamlet or Kingstonian (who meet each other at Champion Hill on Thursday night) after beating Npower League Two outfit AFC Wimbledon in an exciting seven-goal thriller at a sparse Kingsmeadow tonight.
 
The final is expected to be staged at Metropolitan Police’s Imber Court in April, but Jenkins believes the potential dream final between landlords and tenants would be better suited at Hayes Lane – if the semi-finals go to script.

”That would be nice. It would be really nice if that happened,” said Jenkins.

”Would the London FA have it at Bromley? It would be a sensible call wouldn’t it?  The crowd would be doubled. It would definitely be a big crowd there. It would make sense but there’s a long way to go before that happens.”

Jenkins added: “You get this far you want to get to a Final. We’ve had two away games so we’ve got another one for the Semi-Finals so we’re doing it the hard way.”

AFC Wimbledon fielded only three players with first team experience in the shape of left-back Warren Cummings (12 appearances), central midfielder Frankie Merrifield (6) and striker Charlie Strutton (13) – and they paid the price after a strong Cray Wanderers side dumped them out of the competition.

Jenkins, meanwhile, made four changes to his side that came away from Metropolitan Police with a 4-2 victory at the weekend, a result that put them in seventeenth-place in the Ryman Premier League with 33 points from 32 games, seven points clear of the relegation zone.

Mark Willy – who began in Wimbledon’s youth ranks – and Sam Long were missing through work commitments and James Fray was relegated to the bench, whilst Aaron Day was rested.

”At the minute our squad hasn’t been strong as it was. We’ve had youngsters on the bench but those youngsters haven’t been around for a few weeks because they’ve had school commitments so I thought it would have been tough tonight to throw them in tonight against a pro side so I wanted to go strong. I had a few players out, Sammy Long and Mark Willy were out, but the players that came in done well.”

AFC Wimbledon deservedly opened the scoring on the half-hour mark through Tom Beere, but a horrendous blunder from goalkeeper Jack Greenaway gifted Cray Wanderers striker Paul Booth the equaliser, the 36-year-old’s third goal since his loan move from Maidstone United.

Billy Burgess scored his first goal of the season to give Cray Wanderers a half-time lead, before the Kent side enjoyed a two-goal cushion after striker Leigh Bremner scored two goals in 12 minutes.

But AFC Wimbledon made a game off it and pulled a couple of goals back, courtesy of Strutton’s close range header and an exquisite lob from Beere, but the fight-back didn’t materalise from the full-time outfit and Jenkins was able to celebrate his first competitive win over Football League opposition in twenty years at the club.

Jenkins added: “It’s nice to follow up Saturday’s result with another win. We played well tonight. I thought our finishing was good. We created enough chances, obviously hung on in the end.”

AFC Wimbledon have unearthed a raw talent in eighteen-year-old left-winger Youssouf Bamba, who gave Cray Wanderers’ right-back Matt Pooley a torrid time with his electrifying pace.

”They had a bit of pace up front, the boy on the left.  I’ve never seen a player as fast as him in football, against us anyway.

”They’re probably looking at getting him in their side. He’s got pace and it’s always going to get them out of jail.”

Pooley gifted the home side – sitting in eighteenth-place in League Two, five points clear of the relegation zone - their opening chance when he trod on the ball inside his penalty area and Chace Jacquart showed him up with some trickery inside the box before playing over a cross towards the far post for Beere to sweep his shot straight at Andy Walker, with only 87 seconds on the clock.

That appeared to be the sign of things to come and Walker made an excellent save to deny the home club again.

Beere swung in their first corner from the left, which was headed out and the ball fell to Khan Williams-Mitchell, who took a touch before curling a right-footed shot towards the far corner from 20-yards, but the diving Walker stuck out his left arm to push the ball around his post.

”He pulled doff a few good saves tonight,” said Jenkins.  “The deflected one he pulled off a great save but the other deflected one, he let in, so I’m a bit disappointed with that.”

Cray Wanderers escaped from their early hammering and midfield playmaker Danny Phillips started to tick, skipping into the penalty area before crossing low to Booth, who was lurking unmarked at the far post, for the striker to sweep his shot straight at Greenaway from 12-yards.

Cray Wanderers grew in stature and a slick move involving Alex Stavrinou, Michael Power and Phillips saw the ball played in behind for Booth to clip a shot from a tight angle which was caught by the Wimbledon keeper beside his near post.

AFC Wimbledon almost snatched the lead on the counter attack when Jacquart clipped a lovely ball sailing over Burgess’ head for Strutton to latch on to.  The striker was denied by two blocks, the first from Walker, the second from Burgess.

Merrifield came agonisingly close to scoring for the home side, cracking a left-footed curler from inside the penalty area, the ball deflecting narrowly wide of the far post.

A precise through ball from Merrifield saw Bamba latch onto the pass to stroke a right-footed shot towards goal from 25-yards, which forced Walker into saving low to his left.

Walker thwarted dominant Wimbledon again. Strutton cut in and unleashed a right-footed drive from 25-yards, which Walker beat up into the air before comfortably catching the ball without any pressure from a player in a blue shirt.

AFC Wimbledon certainly deserved to take the lead on the half-hour mark when Strutton skipped past two defenders before laying the ball outside to the unmarked Beere, the winger sending a deflected left-footed curler into the top far corner of the net, bringing a ripple of applause from the home faithful.

Jenkins said: “It took a slight deflection and went over his head, so I said to him ‘you’ve got the first one, why didn’t you get that?’

”It’s me being critical of the goalkeeper. I think he could’ve got that one but he bounced back after that one well.”

However, a blunder from AFC Wimbledon keeper Greenaway, gifted Cray Wanderers a lucky equaliser just 84 seconds later.

Full credit must be given to Booth, who pressed the keeper.  Greenaway’s clearance was charged down by Booth and the ball sailed into the empty net.

Jenkins said: “I don’t think I’ve ever seen that one like that!  I’ve seen them on television but I’ve never seen a player close the goalkeeper down and it smashes against him and goes straight in!

”Boothy said he’s been involved in loads of them but they’ve never gone in. They either go over the bar or go wide.  He even said it’s his first one that he’s ever scored like that!

”It’s good to reply really quickly. It’s all about pressure. We was doing that all night, pressurising their goalkeeper and their centre halves.”

Bremner was then played in and was denied by a fine block by Greenaway, the follow up shot from Booth was blocked by central defender Oluseyi Daley.

Jenkins is delighted that his front two have formed a quick understanding.

”What’s good is that they’re both scoring as well so it’s good for the team if you’ve got two centre forwards that are notching goals. It’s brilliant!”

Cray Wanderers’ part-timers then enjoyed their best spell of the half and created some decent chances.

Power’s right-footed angled free-kick from 30-yards was caught by Greenaway in the 34^th minute, who made a routine collection after Pooley’s speculative shot rolled to him.

Left-back Jack Clarke then whipped in an excellent cross for an unmarked Bremner to glance his header just wide of the far post.

Power then stuck out his right leg to stab a first-time volley, which sailed narrowly wide of the left-hand post from 25-yards.

Despite their dominant spell, AFC Wimbledon almost grabbed a second on the break.

Pooley stood off Bamba to allow the talented winger to stroke his left-footed shot across Walker from 12-yards on the angle, the ball flashing narrowly wide of the foot of the far post.

But Cray Wanderers went into the half-time interval with the lead, courtesy of a rare goal from Burgess, who in Willy’s absence partnered Barney Abbott at the heart of defence.

Pooley swung in a corner from the left which sailed over everybody’s head inside the penalty area and Abbott retrieved the ball and whipped in a low cross towards the near post and former Dartford defender Burgess slid in to poke his shot across the keeper to find the far corner from three-yards out.

Jenkins revealed: ”I said ‘Billy, you’re going to score tonight, I’ve never seen you score’, but I expected it from a corner because we put corners into the box towards his head, but I think he said it came off his knee. He slid in and came off his knee. It’s good to get him off the mark as well. He’s a nice bloke Bill, so it’s good to see him score for the club.”

When asked what he said during the interval, Jenkins said: “Much the same really. Be aware of the number 7 and just keep pressuring if we can. If we can keep pressing together, let’s press together, don’t go on your own and we’ll get our chances. 

”We came out of the blocks second half and scored two more.”

AFC Wimbledon were thwarted after only 70 seconds into the second half when Walker made a smart low save at his near post to prevent Strutton scoring with a right-footed angled free-kick from 25-yards.

But Cray Wanderers punished more poor goalkeeping from Greenaway to ease 3-1 in front in the 51^st minute.

The keeper’s poor clearance went straight to Booth, who moved into the penalty box before rolling the ball inside to the onrushing Bremner to sweep his right-footed shot underneath the keeper to score his 20^th goal of the season from eight-yards.

Jenkins was pleased that his tactics worked.

”It’s another goal that we pressed,” he said.  “Micky Power pressed from a position from midfield. He went to press the keeper and the goalkeeper hit it straight to Boothy. It was all about our pressure. 

”It obviously helps. The goalkeeper’s made a mistake but without the pressure on him he wouldn’t have made that mistake.  You put it down to good team play really and Boothy into Brems. It’s the opposite from the other day. It’s good that they’re both linking like that. It was an easy finish in the end.”

Beere produced a quality diagonal pass to release Bamba down the left before the winger cut in and unleashed a right-footed drive from 25-yards, which Walker saved at the second attempt.

Cray Wanderers produced their best goal of the night in the 63^rd minute.

It began in the middle of the park when Phillips, Bremner and Power linked up before Power released Clark on the overlap before he reached the by-line.

Clark whipped in an excellent cross towards the near post and the unmarked Bremner caressed his header into the top left-hand corner from eight-yards.

Jenkins described it as “a great goal!

”Clarky’s got that in his locker, getting balls in like that and Brems header was brilliant, top corner!  It was the best goal of the three that we scored, out of the four that we scored!

”We didn’t have to press that one. We just passed the way we passed and the ball came into the box and he put it away.”

Cray Wanderers’ confidence was now sky-high and it could have been even better following Power’s majestic run into the penalty area before stroking a low right-footed shot around the stranded Greenaway, only for the ball to bounce agonisingly against the foot of the far post.

Jenkins added: “That would have been it then, 5-1!  I was thinking can I make a few changes. They got one back straight away and you’ve got youngsters on the bench. I didn’t want to be changing it too much so we hung on.”

AFC Wimbledon pulled a goal back in the 73^rd minute, with a possible hint of offside, maybe.

Bamba released substitute George Oakley bursting down the left and the striker’s shot sailed across Walker and hung underneath the bar for Strutton to nod the ball in from inches away from the goal-line.

”I didn’t see from where we was sitting on the bench, you can’t see from that far down the line,” said Jenkins.

”Some of the goals we conceded were disappointing tonight. I think we were going too gung-ho at 4-1 to go and win the game by more, to leave ourselves a bit open at the back but that’s us – we tend to do that!”

Strutten almost scored again, just 41 seconds later, his header being tipped around the post by the diving Walker, who was back to his best tonight.

Cray Wanderers substitute James Fray lost possession in the middle off the park and the home side broke at will and Beere sprinted forward before he cut the ball back to Oakley, who lashed his left-footed drive over.

Things started to get edgy when AFC Wimbledon scored the game’s last goal with five minutes remaining.

Substitute Dan Pearse’s long ball sailed over to Beere, who sent a right-footed chip over the advancing Walker to find the far corner.
 
Jenkins added: “The ball over the top done Clarky, which is disappointing defensively but a good finish from the fella. Fair play to him and then what five minutes stoppage time.

”We had chances in those five minutes as well. We could have gone on and won it and their goalie came up in our box for a free-kick with two minutes to go.

”It was one of those games when they could quite easily have equalised and we could have got another couple.”

Jenkins revealed he would have thrown legendary non-league prolific goalscorer Gary Abbott, 48, on for the penalty shoot-out, if it was needed.

”I was going to bring on Gary Abbott if it was going to be a draw and Gary would’ve taken a penalty,” revealed Jenkins.

”I would definitely made that change if it had gone to penalties.

”I said to Gary before the game that he was going to get 10 minutes today, but when it’s 4-3 if you bring him on it only takes a mistake and people start saying you took Brems off or someone like that and he could’ve chased the ball down the line.  He would have gone on if we was a bit more comfortable with 10 minutes to go.”

Jenkins explained why he wants to return to Kingsmeadow for the Semi-Final.

”Maybe nice to come down here and get rid of the 9-3 defeat against Kingstonian.”

Jenkins explained why he wants to reach the London Senior Cup (Sponsored by Coventry Scaffolding) Final this season.

“It was a brilliant game. They went for it. We went for it. They had a lot of youngsters out.

”We put a strong side out because we want to get through because this season hasn’t been good as we wanted it to be in the league so I just want to get to a Cup Final.”

AFC Wimbledon: Jack Greenaway, Matt Cunnington (Greg Hayden 70), Warren Cummings, Frankie Merrifield, Owen Roberts, Oluseyi Daley, Youssouf Bamba, Khan Williams-Mitchell (Dan Pearse 56), Charlie Strutton, Chace Jacquart (George Oakley 72), Tom Beere.
Subs: Billy Bishop, Sam Baffour

Goals:  Tom Beere 30, 85, Charlie Strutton 73

Booked:  Dan Pearse 89

Cray Wanderers:  Andy Walker, Matt Pooley, Jack Clark, Alex Stavrinou, Billy Burgess, Barney Abbott, Michael Power, Chris Saunders, Leigh Bremner, Danny Phillips, Paul Booth (James Fray 66).
Subs: John Estrada, Emmanuel Fasunan, Gary Abbott, Tijani Eshilokun

Goals:  Paul Booth 31, Billy Burgess 45, Leigh Bremner 51, 63

Booked:  Matt Pooley 63

Attendance:  176
Referee:  Mr Ryan Atkins (Sydenham Hill, London SE26)
Assistants: Mr Steve Perry (Sittingbourne) & Mr Mike Barnes (Stoke Newington, London N16)