THE DONS TURNED IN a magnificent seven goals against a lacklustre Raynes Park Vale side to secure three festive points.

The opener came on just three minutes, as a cross after a corner was headed goalwards by Matt Everard. A fantastic save from Hind pushed the ball out wide, but Everard swivelled to fire it goalwards and it deflected in off Victor.

Pockets of forward play saw Wimbledon string together some lovely moves, with Ryan Gray and Michael Harvey dominating on the left flank. Cooper peeled wide into the inside-left channel to set up the second, curling a cross to the back post. As Raynes Park appealed for offside, Lee Sidwell took his time to control the ball and stroke it home.

Carroll was forced to race out to clear and block Raynes Park's rare attacks as the defence looked surprisingly vulnerable, while at the other end Sidwell and Bolger missed good chances to add to the lead. The third goal was the best so far as Cooper slid the ball into the area at an angle for Harvey. His first touch gave him plenty of time but, when everyone expected the slow placed effort past the keeper, he opted for the roof-ofthe-net-foot-like-a-traction-engine-piledriver-special. The net struggled to contain it and he wheeled away to celebrate to all four corners of the ground. As Phillo's choice of celebratory song noted, three certainly was the magic number as the Dons number three scored number three on the day for his third of the season and his first in front of the home crowd. Kevin Cooper scrambled the fourth in from the floor to make it 4-0 at half-time.

Andy Sullivan replaced Lee Sidwell at the restart as Wimbledon looked to add to their tally. Sheerin had a shot blocked and Sullivan beat two men before shooting straight at Hind. Graham Morrow then spurned the visitors' best chance, sending a free header tamely goalwards and allowing Carroll to gather. 20 quiet minutes made it look as though the Dons had decided four was enough and to conserve energies for the exertions of the year ahead.

Finally on 68 minutes the theme tune to Hawaii-5-0 rang out as Cooper's cross looped across the goal and was volleyed home with consummate ease by Gray.

On 75 minutes, a long diagonal ball into the box by Gray brilliantly picked out Cooper, who nodded home nonchalantly for yet another headed goal, his third of the season, and reason enough for Phillo to give Jingle Bells its annual airing on the PA. Scott and Frankum entered the fray in place of Sheerin and Bolger. Cooper put Scott through, but he opted to shoot first time from distance and it went well over. Cooper then shot straight at Hind when his hat-trick beckoned and turned provider for the equally profligate Sullivan, who drove over.

Then on 84 minutes Cooper completed yet another hat-trick and made it seven. Another long ball into the box from Gray picked him out and this time he waited for it to drop before volleying home.

An eighth eluded the Dons and only some Christmas charity from the referee saw Danny Oakins escape further censure for a poor tackle on the edge of the box as Lemmie broke clear. The freekick was driven just over by Fyffe. Finally Sullivan had his name taken for a late lunge.

[ --- wimbledonheritage.co.uk]