AFC Wimbledon 0 Stockport County 2 ( Football League 1 ) Wednesday 15 April 2026

 

 

 

County served up just the tonic their loyal travelling supporters were hoping for, as they claimed all 3 points with a convincing 2-0 win tonight against an enthusiastic but ultimately out played AFC Wimbledon side.

Quality goals by Josh Stokes and Tayo Edun, in the second half, won the game for County ,but the victory also owed much to a performance by the whole team, including the substitutes, who dug deep against a side that looked for something from the game until the very last moments!

Pressed ,I would make special mentions to Ethan Pye, Tayo Edun, the amazing Kyle Wootton and  Corey Addai  who contributed substantially also with a solid performance that gave those in front of him the confidence to come away with another clean sheet!

The win sets County up nicely for the challenges ahead starting with the visit to Exeter City`s St James Park on Saturday.

………………………………

There was much to like in the County starting lineup , Sidibeh and Tanto Olaofe were lining up together, Che Gardner was , at last, getting a game, as was Mothersille who had the chance to answer a few questions for those wishing him well but so far frustrated by his output.

It was Wimbledon who opened on the attack via Alistair Smith, but Addai was not troubled by an under powered shot.

On it went with Wimbledon looking to get forward whilst County kept their powder largely dry allowing their opponents to run at them- Aron Sasu being the next Don to have a tilt in County territory, but again the effort was less than required and Addai made the save without difficulty.

Gradually, County began to apply themselves – their football looked good, controlled and smooth ,but lacking penetration -it stayed 0-0.

It went on …Wootton venturing forward to send Bailey to the by line – Wimbledon struggled to contain the  green shirted blues but again a finish on the end of the good stuff eluded County, as it did a minute or so later as Nathan Bishop the home keeper claimed the ball on the end of a darting run by Mothersille.

Both sides had disappointments next- Wimbledon`s hopes dashed when Smith dragged a poor effort wide on 20 minutes……County 4 minutes later as Bailey missed out with a shot that drifted wide with the Dons stretched!

If much of the Wimbledon play was enthusiastic rather than excessively classy, their best chance probably surfaced with 14 minutes of the half left to play, as Sasu was played clear down our left flank. It looked a real chance until Dixon showed with an impressive intervention, and it wasn`t!

Wimbledon kept trying- Smith`s cross from the left, met by Tilley , Pye putting the ball out for a corner, that saw  Addai in action at his near post making a terrific save from the corner to keep the score 0-0- County breaking up the park through Mothersille and Edun who were thwarted by excellent work by the Dons keeper.

Smith was looking the Dons best prospect to make progress- and it took Addai 2 goes to keep the fullback`s cross from a clutch of blue shirts in the County box!

We were close to half time now , and Norwood was drawing applause from County supporters  - spreading play one moment with an intuitive pass , always available for a raft of set pieces, but his contribution , 43 minutes in, saw the ball fly over the bar after Che Gardner had seen Bishop keep his effort out with a decent save.

Then we had a real lulu of a moment or two from Referee Darren Drysdale who produced probably the worst decision of an evening of iffy rulings, as Ethan Pye was clearly pushed in the back by someone in Wimbledon blue. The liner on the far side was close to the action…saw it and called it correctly…a County free kick, only for the Referee to turn truth on its head and give the free kick to Wimbledon- truly a decision of epic awfulness!

The free kick was defended with determination by County ,and it stayed 0-0, but the reffing by Mr D left a disquieting feeling as the teams left the field for half time.

……………………….  

 

Diamond and Stokes were on for Gardner and Sidibeh when the teams returned for the second half.

But, it was the Dons on the front foot from the start of the half-no doubt the product of Johnnie Jackson`s half time talk to his team- but come the hour cometh the man and Corey Addai stepped up again with another excellent save to deny Sasu who had been played clear.

Wimbledon kept the pressure on with some help from Mr D who was seriously duped by Tilley`s theatrical fall to the ground 3 minutes into the half- nothing came of the free kick, but it still rankled with the writer.

Tilley was centre stage again, within a couple of minutes, his progress aided by a rare miscue by Kyle Wootton- Tilley was through…..he should have scored or at least tested Addai, but he dragged his shot beyond the far post- a bad miss!

Matters did not improve either for Dons, who won a free kick after Edun had spilled possession. The kick was central and definitely scoreable, but County defended it well- Pye getting his head to the ball and heading clear.

The situation needed a reply from County- but their initial move was thwarted as keeper Bishop advanced out of his box to clear with Olaofe and Stokes chasing a through ball.

County were revving their game up now- Tanto blocked having been put through by Diamond, 10 minutes into the half.

Then the revs reached max next as County won a free kick – wide left. It was arguably in Norwood`s range, but instead he lifted the ball into the box where it was met by Josh Stokes who beat a clutch of green shirts and not a few blue one`s to the incoming ball heading it home brilliantly to give County the lead!

The away end went delightfully AS at this as County set about adding a second goal…..

Keeper Bishop saving Tanto`s shot on the turn on 63 minutes…..Bailey inches from Mothersille`s cross  3 minutes later…..Tanto heading over the bar from a Norwood corner another 2 minutes on…..

It stayed 1-0, and DC rang the changes again bringing Osborn and Fiorini on for Bailey and Mothersille, and it took just 4 minutes for County to double their advantage!

Diamond started it sending a cross over from the right- the ball missing a clutch of green shirts out before reaching Osborn on the other flank. In an instant the ball was back into the box where Edun latched onto it firing a superb finish passed the keeper into the net- a brilliant goal, and County now led 2-0!

There were 18 minutes left when that excellent goal went in, and much of what remained of the game consisted of County defending deeper than most of us are happy to see them defend when there were attacking players on the park to ensure we did our defending in the Don`s half.

But credit to Wimbledon – they wanted something from this game and kept trying…kept attacking- only succeeding however in bringing the best out of Wootton, Pye and others in response, as County saw out the remaining minutes of normal time and 5 added minutes to bring 3 most welcome points back with them to Stockport.

Well done County, a well-deserved win!

Next up, County take on Exeter at their St James` Park Stadium- see you there? I hope so, County definitely need you – tonight`s support for County was excellent and we can do it all again on Saturday!

 

 

 

 

                                           AFC Wimbledon line up :-                                                                                

Bishop , Asiimwe (Nkeng 65) , Sidden , Reeves(Stewart 65) , Tilley , Maycock , Smith , Baeur (Jennings 83) , Hackford (Foyo 78), Sasu( Nelson 65) , Ocundere.

Unused subs:- McDonnell , Horan.

 

Stockport County line up:-

 Addai; Dixon, Wootton, Pye, Edun, C. Gardner (Diamond 46), Bailey (Fiorini  69), Norwood , Mothersille (Osborn  69), Olaofe (Dodgson 81), Sidibeh (Stokes).

Unused Subs: Hinchliffe, Grogan.

Attendance: 8,040 (708) .

hedgegrower

 

hedgegrower`s Crowd Shot Gallery.......