Last Gasp Kedwell Sends Dons Top Of The Table

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Eastbourne Borough 2 v Wimbledon 3

Danny Kedwell struck a dramatic last-minute winner against Eastbourne on Saturday (28 August) to salvage a win for the Dons and send them top of the table.

The Dons seemed to be cruising at 2-0 up early in the second half but the home side fought back to bring the scores level before Kedwell’s last-gasp intervention denied them a share of the spoils.

The Dons were in imperious form early on, sweeping play around the pitch, but had to wait until the 31st minute before making the breakthrough when Kedwell grabbed the first of a brace by firing home a daisy-cutter from over 30 yards.

Lee Minshull and Steven Gregory both went close to extending the lead in the opening minute of the second half, but first Minshull’s looping effort from a narrow angle clipped the far side of the bar and then, from the rebound, Gregory’s rasping drive rebounded off the woodwork.

But within 10 minutes the Dons were further ahead, and this time Minshull got his reward, rising to power home a textbook header from Luke Moore’s cross.

Far from lying down and conceding defeat, the home side roared back into it and threatened to take the lead. With 20 minutes left Simon Weatherstone’s effort was neatly despatched into the back of the net, and seven minutes later Andy Atkin levelled things with a header from another free-kick.

With the home side pressing for a winner, it was looked as if the Dons were hanging on until that dramatic finale. Right-back Sam Hatton powered through the midfield and finally released the ball to Kedwell who rounded goalkeeper Rikki Banks before slotting home to send the Dons fans delirious.

Afterwards, Dons boss Terry Brown told the official website: "I hope our players learned … that they shouldn’t take anything for granted. When we went two goals ahead people thought we would get three or four, but credit to Eastbourne who never gave up and, at 2-2, looked as though they would go on and win the game."

Eastbourne Borough: Banks, Jenkins, Austin, Langston, Taylor (Brinkhurst 84), Smart, Pacquette (Atkin 70), Crabb, Weatherstone, Treleaven, Elphick. Subs not used: Baker, Wills, Brown.

Goalscorers: Weatherstone 69, Atkin 77.

Booked: Weatherstone 62, Langston 75, Crabb 87.

Wimbledon: Brown, Hatton, Blackman (Jackson 78), Gregory, Yakubu, Johnson, S. Moore (Yussuff 84), Minshull, Kedwell, Jolley, L. Moore. Subs not used: Main, Turner, Harris.

Goalscorers: Kedwell 31, 90, Minshull 55.

Attendance: 2,485

Referee: Mathew Mclaughlin (Bedfordshire).

Rob Crane

September 10, 2010