2025
Tuesday, 17 March 2026
Sky Bet League - Division One
Cherry Red Records Stadium, Plough Lane
Attendance: 8,275
Ref: Alan Dale
 
AFC Wimbledon
Junior Nkeng (39,45)
2 (2) - (1) 4
Leyton Orient
?
12
Will Dennis
3
James Morris
4
Jack Simpson
16
Kaelan Casey
2
Tom James
22
Azeem Abdulai
15
Tyreeq Bakinson
7
Ollie O'Neill
25
Charlie Wellens
11
Demetri Mitchell
32
Dom Ballard
--
44
Theo Archibald
33
Killian Cahill
14
Michael Craig
8
Idris El Mizouni
19
Favour Fawunmi
5
Dan Happe
20
Sonny Perkins

Dom Ballard scored a hat-trick to take his League One goal tally to 21 and help Leyton Orient ease their relegation fears with a 4-2 win against AFC Wimbledon at the Cherry Red Records Stadium.

An Ollie O'Neill strike hit a post in the 15th minute, but Ballard was there to tap the rebound into an empty net and give his side the lead.

Omar Bugiel went through on goal after producing a magnificent touch to control Joe Lewis's floated long ball, but visiting goalkeeper Will Dennis got down quickly to maintain his side's advantage.

Junior Nkeng had been a threat all evening and he got his reward in the 39th minute when he latched on to the end of a Bugiel knockdown before chipping the ball over Dennis to score the first senior goal of his career.

The 18-year-old's impressive night got even better in the first minute of first-half stoppage time as he showed blistering pace to reach Steve Seddon's cross before blasting a header into the back of the net.

However, the game turned on its head during a thrilling second half.

Ballard got his side back on level terms in the 48th minute, placing the ball into the right corner of Joe McDonnell's net after a sublime pass from Charlie Wellens.

The O's regained the lead in the 57th minute when James Morris tapped in Demetri Mitchell's cross from close range.

Ballard completed his hat-trick with a powerful finish from inside the penalty area in the 70th minute.