Dave Anderson made wholesale changes to the side that had played out a draw with Leyton the previous Saturday, as he looked to blood the next generation of AFC Wimbledon stars in the London Senior Cup.

With Wesley Beckles returning to Crystal Palace following his short-term loan, and with Matt Fowler leaving the club earlier in the day, two of those who started at Leyton were unavailable, while Anderson elected to rest both Barry Moore and Richard Butler completely. Andy Little, Wes Daly and Wayne Finnie all dropped to the bench as the team started with five players under the age of 20, and with former youth teamers Mark King and Jon Boswell on the bench. Nick Beasant came in for his debut at centre-back, watched in the crowd by his FA Cup winning father Dave, while 17-year-old Niall Connery came in for his first senior start. Alongside more senior players Dave Sargent, Simon Sohiby, captain Chris Gell, Shane Smeltz and Michael Harvey, Joe Paris and Sonny Farr completed the outfield line-up in centre midfield and on the right wing respectively, with Josh Lennie taking over from Andy Little in goal.

But despite the Dons youthful looking side, they soon found their shape and, following a few early exchanges, Kiwi international Smeltz began to emerge as the focal point of Wimbledon attacks, ably supported by the industrious Connery.

Being midweek and with the game on the other side of London - and with the FA Trophy and League Cup being seen as more prestigious competitions than the LSC ¬the attendance of 221 was understandably small, but the Dons' faithful were in fine vocal form. Perhaps the fact that the Dons had comprehensively beaten Dartford, in the same league as Wingate & Finchley but considerably higher in the table, had led the gathered crowd to believe this would be a walkover, but Wingate didn't look ready to rollover and their pacy side offered several attacking initiatives of their own. However, as has often been the case in recent Dons games, Wimbledon looked the more likely to score.

But the Dons penalty curse struck again and suddenly 'one of those games' thoughts must have entered the players' minds. A cross from the right was met by the head of Connery whose flick down towards Smeltz was blocked by a home defender's arm and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. But the Dons scoring from a penalty this season has been almost as rare as badger sightings on the Kingsmeadow turf. So it was almost with an impending sense of doom among the crowd that Smeltz stepped up and saw his shot saved to add to the Dons' extensive gallery of near misses from the spot.

However, it was the same man who made amends on 42 minutes to take the Dons into half-time one-nil up, slotting home coolly from a pinpoint Harvey cross.

As the Dons came out for the second period they were on top, and not having been really threatened. However, Wingate looked spurred on by the low score-line, and battled their way back into contention with a few near misses. The Dons took a blow when the impressive Connery had to be taken off as a precaution following a blow to the head. Then, when Wingate equalised on 53 through a deft Sloma free-kick, it didn't feel unexpected, although Patterson giving them the lead eight minutes later did reflect harshly on the young Dons.

Inspired, Wingate looked to pour forward at every opportunity, and Josh Lennie had to be alert to tip a 20-yard screamer round the post. However, the Dons were hitting back on the counter an\J, right on cue, up stepped the in-form Smeltz once again to draw the Dons level on 71.

But the game far from petered out, and both sides continued to pummel each other until the referee blew the whistle to signal extra-time at the end of the 90. Both sides continued to press, and both keepers were called into action, but it was the hosts who finally made one count, with Patterson claiming his second with 102 minutes gone.

For the reminder of extra-time it really was a case of the Dons throwing everything at the hosts' defence, with even keeper Lennie going up for a final flurry of corners.

But it wasn't to be and last year's LSC runners-up progress into the quarter finals of this year's competition, where they will entertain the Dons' Merton rivals Tooting & Mitcham. However, a very young Wimbledon side acquitted themselves well and Dave Anderson can look ahead to the next generation of Dons coming through with a certain degree of excitement.