Wimbledon added a second honour to a successful pre-season campaign that finished off with Terry Brown’s side remaining unbeaten, although more important to the manager was that Sammy Moore made it through another run out and the continuing progression of Brendan Kiernan.

Only a worrying injury to Tooting’s Jordan Anderson marred an open Lanes Cup meeting at Imperial Fields, where the Dons again fielded a mixed line-up. Jack Turner got more vital game time in goal while Ryan Jackson, centre backs Charlie Girdler and Dawayne Campbell along with Chris Bush on the left made up the defensive line. Moore skippered on this occasion and he was joined in midfield by Reece Jones, while talented youngsters Kiernan and Jake Rose looked to supply Charles Ademeno and Kevant Serbony up front.

In the opening quarter of the game, both sides had chances. One of Brown’s first Wimbledon signings Karl Beckford figured in the Tooting line-up and a close range shot from Jordan Wilson was held by Turner after six minutes. The Dons former reserve team striker Billy Dunn threatened a minute later, while Jones, Rose and Ademeno figured prominently for the visitors.

Proceedings ground to a disturbing halt on 28 minutes with Serbony aiming to get on the end of efforts from first Rose and then Jones, which had Tooting keeper Simon Lehkyj on alert in his area. A clash resulted in Anderson going down and a stoppage of a quarter of an hour occurred while Wimbledon physio Mike Rayner assisted in the defender being carefully removed on a stretcher in a neck brace. The half lasted over 58 minutes in total as there was another (but less worrying) stoppage for replacement Lee Newman to be treated. In time added on, Turner produced a great save, clawing away a chip at full stretch.

Unfazed, Wimbledon showed better in the second half and after 48 minutes took the lead when Kiernan’s right foot strike from the edge of the box left the keeper with no chance. That lead was doubled emphatically on 68 minutes when the ball fell into the path of the onrushing Serbony, whose acrobatic celebrations managed to upstage his impressive finish.

Two minutes before the end after an innocuous-looking incident, the Ryman Premier side grabbed a consolation from the spot through captain Jamie Byatt, despite Turner getting a hand to the penalty.

[ --- wimbledonheritage.co.uk]