Dons' Close Shave As Barnet Take A Point

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Wimbledon 1 v Barnet 1

A Sammy Moore equaliser midway through the second half spared Wimbledon's blushes against lowly Barnet on Saturday (5 November).

Lawrie Sanchez's visitors threatened to leave Kingsmeadow with all three points before the former Dover man saw his effort deflect into the back of the net.

But overall it was another disappointing Wimbledon display against a Barnet side looking equally devoid of confidence as their run without a win was stretched to five games.

The first period was most notable for the frequency with which both sides squandered possession, although Jack Midson did have one effort from a Brett Johnson cross that he couldn't keep down.

But in first-half injury time, Barnet took the lead and there was a degree of inevitability about the goalscorer. Izale McLeod had been barracked by the home supporters throughout because of his time with MK Dons, and he milked the occasion after finding space between Jamie Stuart and Callum McNaughton to head home a deep cross past Seb Brown.

The Dons attempted to be more positive in the second period, with James Mulley coming on at left-back, but it wasn't until the introduction of Kieran Djilali on the hour that things really sparked into life.

The former Palace man's ability to run with the ball and take on defenders caused Barnet the sort of problems that they hadn't been posed before then, and suddenly the game started coming to life.

Moments after his introduction, the Dons were level. Luke Moore had already seen his volley his a post and go behind. But there was better luck when Djilali fed Luke Moore again, and his pass through to namesake Sammy was despatched into the back of the net with the aid of a deflection off a defender.

But although the Dons continued to press they managed no further shots on target and, as the game opened out, it was Barnet who came closest to taking all three points. McLeod wasted two good opportunities when he should have done better, and Brown was alert to stop Mark Marshall's 20-yard effort.

As a frustrating afternoon for the Dons came to an end, the point nevertheless saw them climb to eleventh in the table, still just four points off a play-off place.

The Dons now have two cup encounters, travelling to Swindon Town in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy on Tuesday (8 November) before hosting Scunthorpe United in the FA Cup First Round on Saturday 12 November.

Attendance: 4,369

Wimbledon: Brown, Hatton, Johnson (Mulley 46), Stuart, McNaughton, S. Moore, Porter, L. Moore (Ademeno 70), Yussuff (Djilali 60), Midson, Jolley. Subs not used: Wellard, Turner.

Goalscorer: S. Moore 63.

Booked: S. Moore 64, Hatton 77.

Barnet: Brill, Senda, Hector, Dennehy, Borrowdale, Deering, Hughes, Kamdjo, Marshall, Holmes (Kabba 78), McLeod. Subs not used: Downing, O'Brien, Byrne, Taylor.

Goalscorer: McLeod 45.

Booked: Dennehy 69, Deering 83.

By Rob Crane

www.wimbledonsw19.com are the proud sponsors of Marcus Gayle's away kit

November 6, 2011