AFC Wimbledon took one step nearer to the league title with an easy 6-0 victory against a defensive Withdean outfit. Shane Small-King came into the side at right midfield for the injured Andy Sullivan, with Jamie Taylor and Kevin Cooper starting up front.

Early on Gavin Bolger had a low drive deflected wide and Cooper drove a shot over from a Taylor cross. Then, a small period of Withdean pressure followed as Gaylear drove a fierce shot at goal from outside the area and Ross Standen dived across well to tip it wide.

English turned tinkerman, swapping Gray, Small-King and Taylor around in a bid to engineer an opening, as Withdean generally kept ten men behind the ball. Pook ran through on the break and got to the ball ahead of the covering Darren Dobinson, but managed a horrendous airkick to send the ball through to Standen.

At the other end, the Dons' normal attacking cutting edge seemed to be slightly lacking in the final ball. But a set-piece broke the deadlock on the half-hour mark. Matt Everard steamed in at the back post to head goalwards from a Bolger corner. Lewis and Oakley tried to keep it out, but both ended up in the back of the net along with the ball.

With half-time looming, Danny Oakins was felled in the area as he looked to run on to a through ball from Taylor. The referee pointed to the spot and Cooper stepped up to hammer home for his 50th of the season, after three in the semi-final win on Thursday.

On the stroke of half-time, it was 3-0 as Small-King ran forward, wrong-footed the defence and slid a low shot inside the post off Oakley's hands. With Withdean still defending in numbers, both Bolger and Cooper were crowded out in search of the fourth.

Bamfo came on for his longest Dons appearance yet at half-time, replacing Taylor and Sidwell replaced Jamie Angell not long after the restart. The second half was nearly all Wimbledon with few clear cut chances, but a succession of corners. A great ball from Gray seemed to hang in the air for an age and Matt Everard evaded any attempts at marking to head home his second.

Substitute Allen broke free all alone and rounded Standen, but was denied by a covering tackle from Oakins. Oakins then seemed likely to leave the field injured, but was patched up and returned. Good work by Bamfo forced another corner, but Everard volleyed over his hat-trick chance. He then made way for Lewis Taylor.

With 15 minutes remaining, Bolger scored the pick of the bunch. Controlling the ball 25 yards out, he turned and let fly with a thunderbolt into the top left corner off the underside of the bar. Bamfo was then denied a maiden goal by a fine save from Oakley. Small-King's pull back fell to Cooper, who decided to take a touch and was denied by Oakley's legs. Favata screwed a shot predictably wide with his left foot before driving over with his right. Gray then had one shot blocked and the follow-up held by Oakley.

Bamfo beat two men and seemed to be tripped in the area, but nothing was given from what seemed a clear cut penalty. Finally, in injury time a Bolger cross laid a header for Cooper on a plate to complete a 6-0 win.

[ --- wimbledonheritage.co.uk]