AFC Wimbledon 5-3 Queen’s Park Rangers
by Isabelle Rogerson – AFC Wimbledon (4/9/23)
Above: Joy for AFC Wimbledon at Plough Lane yesterday. Photo: Ian Stephen.
Emily Donovan and Ashlee Hincks both struck doubles as AFC Wimbledon started their tier four FAWNL Division One South-East campaign with a thrilling victory in front of a big crowd at Plough Lane.
Kevin Foster’s side secured a 5-3 win over QPR, providing an entertaining spectacle for the crowd at the Cherry Red Records Stadium to enjoy.
There was simply no stopping the Dons from the outset. It took only four minutes for the breakthrough to be made when Hannah Billingham powered down the left-hand side and sent an excellent lowball into the box for Donovan to home.
The hosts enjoyed a lot of the ball in the opening 15 minutes and it didn’t take long to double the advantage. Following lovely link-up play between Ashlee Hincks and Ellie Dorey down the left, Hincks sent a threatening ball into the box and Donovan was in the right place at the right time once again.
However, QPR found a way back into the game in style when Kesha Petit danced her way into the box, and struck a spectacular solo effort, the ball nestling into the bottom corner.
Just before the 40-minute mark, after some slow reactions from the home side, QPR had themselves an equaliser, through Renai McCrea, to make it 2-2.
For the second-half, the Dons had to make a change with Sandra Soares Martins replacing the injured Ellie Dorey, but that didn’t stop a third goal for the hosts.
Ashleigh Goddard was challenged in the box by the QPR goalkeeper and she won the home side a penalty. Ashlee Hincks stepped up, and the Dons number 9 got off the mark for the season.
Goddard then got on the scoresheet herself, travelling with the ball and strikng it neatly from the edge of the box into the bottom left-hand corner.
Hincks made it five in style with a glorious strike from a free-kick, and though QPR reduced the arrears through Emelia Parsons, that failed to take the shine off an impressive victory for the Dons.
Teams: AFC WIMBLEDON: Baker, Russell, Brooks, Highman, Ali, Hincks, Gibson, Donovan, Billingham, Dorey, Goddard. Substitutes: Mann, Sampson, Plewa, Soares Martins, Childerhouse.
Scorers: Donovan 4′, 11′. Hincks pen 49′, 69′. Goddard 54′.
QUEEN’S PARK RANGERS: Blodgett, Curr, Francis-Pownall, Hennessy, Hill, Lewin, Parsons, Petit, Searle, McCrea. Substitutes: Akerman, Jordinson, Owen, Stanley, Webster.
Scores: Petit 33′, McCrea 38′, Parsons 86′.
Attendance: 823.
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