MK Dons Under-18s ended their League campaign on a high on Wednesday afternoon, beating AFC Wimbledon 3-1 in their final game of the season.
In the first meeting between the two teams, it was the visitors who started strongest and they appeared to have taken the lead inside the opening ten minutes when Kelvin Osei-Addo converted Dele Alli’s through-ball but, unfortunately for the Dons, play had already been called back for an offside.
The Dons, who lost midfielder Will Summerfield in the warm-up and goalkeeper Charlie Burns 15 minutes in, continued to create chances and if it wasn’t for a terrific save from the home ‘keeper, Alli (pictured) could have been celebrating his 16th goal of the season inside the opening half an hour but his powerful free-kick was palmed away by the man between the sticks.
However, Dove’s side’s pressure did finally tell four minutes before the break, when Kelvin Osei-Addo was tripped in the penalty area as he looked to latch onto a rebound from his initial shot.
Alli was the man who chose to step up and take the spot-kick and the 17-year-old made no mistake, sending the ‘goalie the wrong way from 12-yards.
Having seen their lead out until half-time, the Dons started the second half in similar fashion to first, with their neat passing football proving just a little too much for the opposition.
Despite their dominance, Dove’s boys knew that at one-nil their lead was never entirely safe and in the 55th minute that proved to be the case as AFC Wimbledon drew level with a well-placed finish from the edge of the area.
That set-back seemed to spur the Dons on, though, and they almost regained their advantage within minutes through Ahmed but the winger’s effort was well saved after Alli’s superb pass.
Ten minutes later and the Dons restored their lead, again from the penalty spot, after Rasulo was caught by a defenders leg as he bore down on goal - the England Under-16 international brushing himself off to take the kick, which he fired into the top left-corner.
The game was then made safe in the 70th minute, when Alli produced a bit of magic to skip past several AFC Wimbledon defenders before sliding a cool finish under the ‘keeper.
The Dons were then able to see out the remaining 20 minutes with relative ease as they secured a winning finish to their 2012/13 campaign.
MK Dons (4-2-1-3): Burns (Taylor 15); Osae, Hickford, Galloway, Tilney; Alli, Weston, Rasulo; Logan, Osei-Addo (Grant 45), Ahmed (c).
Subs: Owusu, Steele.
