FOREST GREEN PRESS THE SELF-DESTRUCT BUTTON

AFC Wimbledon  2 – 0  Forest Green Rovers

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MORE spectacularly woeful defending left Forest Green facing mission impossible at Kingsmeadow, and their self-destructive tendencies could yet scupper any survival bid.

The goals from Nathan Elder and Will Hendry which effectively ended the contest inside the first 10 minutes were the bare minimum Wimbledon deserved for a rampant start.

Defeat at Kingsmeadow is no disgrace for anyone this term, with Terry Brown's well-supported outfit looking surefire play-off bets, but the visitors' deficiencies mean they cannot complain at their berth in the bottom four.

With a calf problem ruling out captain Paul Stonehouse, Rovers had to reshuffle in defence with Joe O'Cearuill as a makeshift left-back.

The Irishman endured a torrid time, with Hendry and Danny Kedwell constantly getting the better of him to wreak havoc from the right flank.

Kedwell saw a 20-yard shot beaten away by David Wilkinson before Elder had a header hacked frantically off the line by Mark Preece.

Rovers' relief was short lived, as a minute later Hendry delivered again from the right for Elder to convert with a diving header.

Awful defending became abominable for Wimbledon's second.

This time Ricky Wellard was invited to run at the heart of the visitors, and he duly fed the ball through for Hendry to slot into a bottom corner.

Eventually the chaos subsided, and Forest Green produced their first shots in anger when O'Cearuill's 25-yarder was blocked and Craig Rocastle's follow-up effort was deflected wide.

Three minutes later Isaiah Rankin put Reece Styche through on goal, but the striker lifted the ball on to the roof of the net.

Stand-in Rovers skipper Jonathan Smith worked space for a shot inside the area, comfortably dealt with Pullen, before another close call went against them.

It stemmed from a deep cross by Jared Hodgkiss which Dons defender Paul Lorraine headed against his own crossbar.

An almighty goalmouth scramble ensued, but Tomi Ameobi was crowded out and somehow the hosts survived.

Dave Hockaday made two substitutions at half-time, Curtis McDonald replacing O'Cearuill and David Brown taking over from Conal Platt in midfield. Rovers picked up where they had left off at the end of the first period, and great work by Ameobi created an opening for Smith which he fluffed from six yards.

For all their endeavour there was to be no way back for Hockaday's men, who trudged off ruing their horrific opening.

AFC Wimbledon: J. Pullen; S. Hatton, P. Lorraine, B. Johnson (J. Conroy 67), D. Blanchett; L. Taylor (J. Parker 84), S. Gregory (G. Poole 76), W. Hendry, R. Wellard; D. Kedwell, N. Elder; Subs not used: J. Main, S. Brown.

Forest Green: D. Wilkinson; J. Hodgkiss, M. Preece, O. Thorne, J. O'Cearuill (C, McDonald 46); J. Smith, C. Rocastle; C. Platt (D. Brown 46), T. Ameobi, I. Rankin; R. Styche; Subs not used: J. Else, D. Powell, T. Burton.

Referee: W. Atkin (W Sussex)                        Attendance: 3,272

Star man: Jonathan Smith – Tireless and tenacious throughout, leading by example as stand-in skipper in a losing cause