The Under-18s lost their first home league match of the season on Saturday as they went down 2-1 against Barnet.
Two goals in five second-half minutes put the visitors in charge of the contest between two of the league’s high-flyers and despite Kyran Wiltshire pulling a goal back with twelve minutes remaining, it was not quite enough for the Dons.
The visitors dominated much of the first half of a match in which clear chances were limited. Dons keeper Andrew McCorkell impressed with some good stops while the defenders supported him by making some last-gasp blocks when the keeper was beaten.
This was particularly noticeable on 23 minutes when, with McCorkell stranded, a goal-bound effort was blocked by a covering yellow shirt. The Dons then got lucky as the ball fell to a Bees player whose shot bounced onto the post before the hosts cleared it away to safety.
The home side's best chance came four minutes into the second half when the Barnet keeper had the ball taken away from him outside the area, however, a couple of orange shirts were back and managed to get in position to stop and clear the shot towards goal.
Just a couple of minutes later, the Dons produced more heroic defending as McCorkell was beaten by a Barnet player inside the area, however two efforts at goal were blocked on the line.
The Dons were still proving a threat as moments later forward players Connor Furlong and Sam Nombe combined well but unfortunately for the latter, he put his shot just wide of the right post when through one-on-one with the Barnet keeper.
The Dons brave resistance was finally broken on 53 minutes when a ball across the box found an unmarked orange shirt who slid the ball past McCorkell from inside the area to make it 1-0.
Barnet doubled their lead on 57 minutes when their number nine dispossessed a Dons player on the edge of the box. He then ran into the area and squared to a teammate who had a straightforward finish from close range.
The visitors appeared to take their foot off the pedal at this point which allowed the Dons to grow back into the game and create chances.
They made the pressure tell on 78 minutes when midfielder Wiltshire beat a couple of players on the edge of the box, before cutting inside and finishing low into the goal to reduce the deficit.
The Dons, though, were unable to find an equaliser and were subsequently beaten at Woughton-on-the-Green for the first time in 2014/15.
After the match, Director of Youth Mike Dove said: “It was a real top-of-the-table clash and although we lost, today was good for the players’ development.
“I thought we kept the ball well and played some good football but we also did the other side which we are not always renowned for which was throwing in the challenges, standing up to them and winning balls back.
“I thought Jack Hadden did excellent in midfield today, I thought Kyran got better as the game went on and for Sam Nombe it was a good opportunity to step-up with both Kabongo (Tshimanga) and Giorgio (Rasulo) involved with the first team.”
Starting XI (4-2-1-3): McCorkell; Daffern, Tingey, Hunt, Okito (c); Hadden, Wiltshire; Furlong (Steele 57); Vaughan, Owusu (Tilney 57), Nombe.
Unused subs: Wyant, Palmiero, Jackson.
Goal: Wiltshire 78
The visitors dominated much of the first half of a match in which clear chances were limited. Dons keeper Andrew McCorkell impressed with some good stops while the defenders supported him by making some last-gasp blocks when the keeper was beaten.
This was particularly noticeable on 23 minutes when, with McCorkell stranded, a goal-bound effort was blocked by a covering yellow shirt. The Dons then got lucky as the ball fell to a Bees player whose shot bounced onto the post before the hosts cleared it away to safety.
The home side's best chance came four minutes into the second half when the Barnet keeper had the ball taken away from him outside the area, however, a couple of orange shirts were back and managed to get in position to stop and clear the shot towards goal.
Just a couple of minutes later, the Dons produced more heroic defending as McCorkell was beaten by a Barnet player inside the area, however two efforts at goal were blocked on the line.
The Dons were still proving a threat as moments later forward players Connor Furlong and Sam Nombe combined well but unfortunately for the latter, he put his shot just wide of the right post when through one-on-one with the Barnet keeper.
The Dons brave resistance was finally broken on 53 minutes when a ball across the box found an unmarked orange shirt who slid the ball past McCorkell from inside the area to make it 1-0.
Barnet doubled their lead on 57 minutes when their number nine dispossessed a Dons player on the edge of the box. He then ran into the area and squared to a teammate who had a straightforward finish from close range.
The visitors appeared to take their foot off the pedal at this point which allowed the Dons to grow back into the game and create chances.
They made the pressure tell on 78 minutes when midfielder Wiltshire beat a couple of players on the edge of the box, before cutting inside and finishing low into the goal to reduce the deficit.
The Dons, though, were unable to find an equaliser and were subsequently beaten at Woughton-on-the-Green for the first time in 2014/15.
After the match, Director of Youth Mike Dove said: “It was a real top-of-the-table clash and although we lost, today was good for the players’ development.
“I thought we kept the ball well and played some good football but we also did the other side which we are not always renowned for which was throwing in the challenges, standing up to them and winning balls back.
“I thought Jack Hadden did excellent in midfield today, I thought Kyran got better as the game went on and for Sam Nombe it was a good opportunity to step-up with both Kabongo (Tshimanga) and Giorgio (Rasulo) involved with the first team.”
Starting XI (4-2-1-3): McCorkell; Daffern, Tingey, Hunt, Okito (c); Hadden, Wiltshire; Furlong (Steele 57); Vaughan, Owusu (Tilney 57), Nombe.
Unused subs: Wyant, Palmiero, Jackson.
Goal: Wiltshire 78
