The sun shone and the grass was green. The players trotted out onto an already filling stadium. The crowd applauded. The Dons' team didn't look like it had been shrunk yet, or if Eames had decided on a final team.
The first half showed a side similar to the opening one against Sutton United, although a new goalie was put in place. The Dons looked flowing from the start, apart from the new keeper, who looked ill at ease with the ball. An attack came from the Hamlet in the 8th minute, which led to a corner on the left. The corner was struck in, finding the intended recipient, although the finish was far from polished. It tumbled into the back of the net from a Wayne Cort strike, and the Dons were a goal down. This seemed to spark something within the whole team, which looked to have embarrassed Dulwich. For the rest of the half, they bombarded their defence, and controlled the midfield with some ease; the goalie re-composed himself, and the Dons looked on top: a goal was surely to come. Dulwich had a few attacks, although the defence was able to make up for themselves, while the goalie produced a very solid performance for most of the half.
In the second half, it became clear of Eames' intentions: he put on a completely different set of men. The team looked a little second rate, merely from their appearance; and didn't look as fit as the first lot. The assumptions were correct, as a shaky midfield, and holey defence allowed attack after attack to barrage The Dons keeper. This also meant that the stickers weren't getting any balls. Thankfully Dulwich weren't at their best, and opportunities were not taken. Another chance by Cort in the final minutes of the game was the best of the match as he came one-on-one with the keeper, only to kick it wide and left.
Straight after that, the Dons responded how they should have played the second half: with a vicious fast counter-attack that went straight through the Hamlet's defence with controlled passes. The Dons put three men in the box, and a player connected the cross, only to skim the bar. The match ended and The Dons lost, but not a dishonourable defeat.
The problem apparent in the first half was that the balls were not always met, meaning that the players had to do extra work to get the ball into the box; although I believe that this will undoubtedly improve with practice and getting to know each other. Whereas in the second half, the game was mainly played in defence with a weak midfield, allowing Hamlet to dominate. When AFC Wimbledon did get on the break, there was only one player in the box; there was even an effort which had a winger waiting to deliver a cross to a box only filled with pink and blue… but with no Dons players! A problem that occurred in both halves were how much the team talk to each other: the Hamlet players and manager shouted commands at each other and called for balls, whereas the Dons in contrast were almost a mime act. Again, I am certain that this is due to not knowing each other, and in time will come.
I can only presume that Eames has almost perfected the line up that he ants to start the new season with, and I am confident that with this squad great things can happen next season. The Dons are learning, and this is apparent in their game play. Follow them at Borehamwood to see AFC Wimbledon's best performance yet.