2001
Saturday, 19 January 2002
Nationwide League Division 1
St Andrew's
Attendance: 17,766
Ref: Howard Webb
 
Birmingham City
0 (0) - (0) 2
Wimbledon
Michael Hughes, Patrick Agyemang
1
Ian Bennett
36
Jeff Kenna
35
Steve Vickers
Subbed 36m
5
Darren Purse
Yellow 47m
3
Martin Grainger
Yellow 35m
30
Arkadiusz Bąk
10
Bryan Hughes
12
Martyn O'Connor
Subbed 46m
9
Geoff Horsfield
8
Marcelo
Subbed 70m
16
Tommy Mooney
--
22
David Burrows
Sub ((35) 36)(35)
18
Nico Vaesen
11
Stan Lazaridis
Sub ((12) 46)(12)
7
Jon McCarthy
Sub ((8) 70)(8)
14
Curtis Woodhouse

Steve Bruce's play-off hopes were dented as Wimbledon sent his Birmingham side to their first defeat in six league games.

Michael Hughes scored in the 80th minute and Patrick Agyemang added another in injury time as the Dons earned all three points.

It was a bad day for Blues, who also lost key defender Steve Vickers with a foot injury.

Bruce's side had been aiming to build on the three wins and two draws that had lifted them into seventh place, but a missed penalty by Tommy Mooney denied them what would have been the opening goal of the game.

Then Hughes gave goalkeeper Ian Bennett no chance with a rising effort and Agyemang increased the pain.

Wimbledon's slick passing game meant they had the better of the first half even if Birmingham had the only effort on target - a tame shot from Bryan Hughes.

In the second half Marcelo's header was deflected wide before Birmingham won a penalty through Geoff Horsfield who was felled by a combination of Jermaine Darlington and Trond Anderson.

Tommy Mooney blazed the spot-kick over the bar.

Davies was quickly off his line to block from Horsfield and then Bennett did the same to deny Darlington but when it looked like neigher side would break the deadlock Wimbledon's Hughes scored from 30 yards.

Neal Ardley had seen his shot blocked and Francis slipped the ball to Northern Ireland international Hughes who scored a spectacular goal.

Horsfield had a chance to level the scores from eight yards but when Lazaridis picked him out with a clever flighted ball he volleyed across goal with the inside of his right foot.

Agyemang wrapped up the points in stoppage time with a low shot under Bennett after Ardley's pass had set him up 15 yards out.