Wimbledon's new-look strikeforce sent out a warning to the First Division as the Dons eased past Birmingham.

David Connolly and Neil Shipperley both got on the scoresheet, while Birmingham's Darren Purse headed into his own net for the Dons' third goal.

Shipperley, a £750,000 summer buy from Barnsley, scored with an easy tap-in after a brilliant piece of skill from influential left midfielder Kevin Cooper.

He raced to the byline and slipped the ball across the goal-line for the big striker to roll the ball into the net.

And Connolly, snapped up from Dutch giants Feyenoord a fortnight ago, had an equally easy task to side-foot into an open goal after David Nielsen seized on a Martin Grainger clanger.

The third arrived when Connolly headed a far-post Alan Kimble free-kick back across goal and centre-back Purse could only nod the ball into his own net.

The Blues' Bryan Hughes hit a spectacular consolation in the 90th minute when he volleyed the ball home from 20 yards.

It was a fully deserved victory for Terry Burton's men, who outclassed Birmingham with fluent, pass-and-move football that proves the Dons are determined to pass their way to success this season.

The Blues never seemed to work together as a team, while Wimbledon's enthusiastic closing down and clever lay-offs worked wonders on a day when their fans protested about the club's proposed move to Milton Keynes.

[ --- news.bbc.co.uk]