The Dons fielded a strong if altered team against Chessington, with Steve Butler and Jon-Barrie Bates making their first-team return from injury and Leon McDowall getting a start in attack. The ever-willing understudy Paul Smith made his long-awaited debut in goal. The visitors themselves seemed to have improved from last year's CCL whipping boys, with McCollin in particular looking enterprising upfront.
Wimbledon made all the running from the off in an impressive opening half-hour spell. An early free-kick fizzed across the box and flicked off a Dons head, but Steve Butler couldn't quite get the crucial touch and it was knocked behind for a corner. That was cleared but another corner shortly afterwards fell kindly in the six yard box. McDowall couldn't quite get connect and it was hacked clear by a grateful defender.
The first goal duly came on just eight minutes, created by the subtlety of Martin Randall. Bringing the ball under control, he strode purposefully forward and slide the ball delightfully past the right back. Gary Prigent raced clear and steered the ball calmly past Walkey with his first touch.
Prigent then sent an excellent low cross into the box which narrowly eluded the front two and was knocked behind by a defender for the third corner of the first ten minutes, which came to nothing. Prigent, Randall and McDowell almost combined a trio of flicks, but McDowell either slipped or lost his footing at the crucial moment, An undaunted Randall unleashed a lobbed shot which dropped narrowly wide.
If the first goal was well executed, the second was sublime. Randall closed the goalkeeper down and a poor clearance from a panicked right-back was picked up by Bolger. He waited for what seemed like an eternity while the Chessington defence were drawn to him as if by gravitational pull before chipping the ball over all of them. Storming into the penalty area at pace like the student version of Carlos Alberto, Steve Gibson drew his thunderous right foot back and sent a low first-time exocet into the bottom left corner of the net giving Walkey no chance. Wonderful.
But a defensive lapse in concentration allowed Chessington to pull one back on 33 minutes, as Andre McCollin was allowed to run into the area and fire a well-placed shot across Smith and into the bottom corner.
The Dons almost restored their advantage immediately as Prigent nodded a Goggin cross back across goal and McDowell swivelled to fire in a low shot which Walkey somehow blocked upwards and over his crossbar. He came out to flap at the subsequent corner and eventually juggled it safely into his arms off McDowall's head.
Half-time came with score still 2-1.
Steve Butler sent a header into the goalkeeper's arms at the start of the second half and an offside flag earned the Dons a reprieve when a chipped ball flicked off a defensive head to Woods. A Bates pass then allowed Prigent to fire past Walkey, but his shot was deflected behind for a corner, which was headed wide.
Gibson was knocked to the ground by Sergeant with an uncompromising challenge ten minutes after the restart. The unfortunate right-back, still clutching his shoulder and grimacing, was helped to the dressing room by Mike Rayner. Antony Howard came on to replace him.
As the Dons looked to increase their advantage, McDowall's downward header was tipped over the bar after the bounce by Walkey. McDowall then beat Webb with a lovely touch on the half-way line and was unceremoniously kicked up in the air for his trouble. Webb was booked for the unnecessary lunge. Sergeant flattered to deceived with some wing trickery for the visitors before Butler headed a corner over the bar for the Dons.
Another Sergeant run ended in a cross which Butler nodded behind his own goal, but the Chessington corner was easily cleared. Two questionable raised flags from the linesman brought promising Dons attacks to a premature end, while a third was ended as Watts chopped an on-rushing Bolger down from behind. The free-kick was sent to the back post and headed back across. Butler looped a header over Walkey but it rebounded off the crossbar and was headed away.
After a sedentary second half the two-goal cushion was restored as McDowell leaped to head home a corner with 11 minutes remaining. Gray then curled in a free-kick which was punched away from under the crossbar.
In injury time the fourth arrived as the night's skipper got in on the action. Prigent collected the ball in acres of space on the edge of the area, drew the goalkeeper out and laid it square for Randall to smash home. Howard nearly sent him in again, but Walkey gathered well.
And that was pretty much that as Wimbledon closed out a comfortable if unspectacular victory. Particular plus points were Paul Smith's handling and distribution and an impressive (and unscathed) 90 minutes from Steve Butler to ease Dave Anderson's injury worries ahead of the visit of Croydon Athletic on Saturday.
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