The Under-18s got back to winning ways after their FA Youth Cup heartache with a 1-0 victory over Leyton Orient on Saturday.
Mike Dove’s side, who bowed out of the Youth Cup after an extra-time defeat at Nottingham Forest, picked up their fourth league victory in five games courtesy of a Kyran Wiltshire goal on 18 minutes.
It was Orient, though, who had the first chance of the game through Scott Kashket, but his shot was pushed around the post by goalkeeper Tom Wyant.
That save proved crucial as just a few minutes later the Dons hit their hosts on the counter attack and took the lead. Wiltshire collected the ball inside his own half and, after playing a one-two with Kabongo Tshimanga, calmly rolled the ball into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.
Moments before half-time, Orient’s Victor Adeboyejo was denied a chance to equalise moments by an excellent sliding tackle from Luke Tingey before Jacob Daffern sent a shot agonisingly wide of the post after the restart.
Wyant then parried a shot from Kashket to keep the scoreline in favour of the Dons, who had have two excellent chances to make sure of the victory late on – however, both efforts were denied superbly by O’s stopper Sam Sargeant.
In the end, the Dons would hold on for the victory and another valuable three points heading into their Christmas break.
Starting XI: Wyant; Daffern, Hunt, Tingey, Okito (c) (Palmiero 85); Weston (Hadden 69), Wiltshire; Vaughan, Brittain (Steele 69), Tilney; Tshimanga.
Unused subs: None
Goals: Wiltshire 18
Booked: Wiltshire
It was Orient, though, who had the first chance of the game through Scott Kashket, but his shot was pushed around the post by goalkeeper Tom Wyant.
That save proved crucial as just a few minutes later the Dons hit their hosts on the counter attack and took the lead. Wiltshire collected the ball inside his own half and, after playing a one-two with Kabongo Tshimanga, calmly rolled the ball into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.
Moments before half-time, Orient’s Victor Adeboyejo was denied a chance to equalise moments by an excellent sliding tackle from Luke Tingey before Jacob Daffern sent a shot agonisingly wide of the post after the restart.
Wyant then parried a shot from Kashket to keep the scoreline in favour of the Dons, who had have two excellent chances to make sure of the victory late on – however, both efforts were denied superbly by O’s stopper Sam Sargeant.
In the end, the Dons would hold on for the victory and another valuable three points heading into their Christmas break.
Starting XI: Wyant; Daffern, Hunt, Tingey, Okito (c) (Palmiero 85); Weston (Hadden 69), Wiltshire; Vaughan, Brittain (Steele 69), Tilney; Tshimanga.
Unused subs: None
Goals: Wiltshire 18
Booked: Wiltshire
