Wycombe 2-0 AFC Wimbledon

AFC Wimbledon were unable to upset league leaders Wycombe Wanderers after losing 2-0 at Adams Park.

Goals from Josh Scowen and Sam Wood consigned Wimbledon to their fifth loss of the season in a game that will be talked about more for the performance of the referee rather than the game itself.

Wood seemed to be offside when he headed in his first and Wycombe’s second in the 71 minute but the linesman and referee both waved away the away side’s protests.

Neal Ardley made one change from the Dons’ 3-2 win over Bury, with Jake Nicholson coming into the starting line-up for the suspended Dannie Bulman.

The first half was not a classic in any sense of the word as both sides failed to gain any type of stronghold in the game.

Wycombe had the first chance in the 13 minute when Joe Jacobson rifled his free kick wide from nearly 40 yards out.

Scowen then tested James Shea’s gloves from the edge of the box when he latched onto the ball after it was cleared.

Wimbledon nearly got their first chance minutes later through Adebayo Akinfenwa, but the striker was denied by Jacobson’s well-timed sliding challenge.

And the away side were given a left off in the 25 minute when Alfie Mawson slotted the ball into the net, only for referee Richard Clark to give a free kick for a foul by Aaron Pierre.

Barry Fuller then found himself in the right position ten minutes later to clear a Sam Wood header with his own head after the Wycombe man found himself free in the box.

Don and dusted: James Shea couldn't keep Wycombe at bay

And minutes later Shea pulled off a strong right handed save to stop a Peter Murphy strike that looked destined to land in the bottom corner of the Dons’ goal.

Paul Hayes could have sent the home side into the half time break ahead but his volley dipped just wide of Shea’s right hand post, much to the relief of the travelling Dons fans amassed behind the goal.

Wycombe dominated the second half and took the lead six minutes into the second half after Scowen latched onto a poor header by Adam Barrett, proceeding to coolly slot the ball into the bottom left hand corner.

Murphy nearly double the home side’s lead in the 55 minute with a fierce strike from outside the box, but the ball ended up just over Shea’s crossbar.

Shea was then on hand on the hour mark to pull off another delightful point black save after Murphy had waltzed his way through three Wimbledon defenders.

The visitors got their first chance of the second half in the 63 minute when Smith tried to pull the ball back in the Wycombe box, only for the ball to be cleared for a corner, Barrett heading the resulting corner over.

Wimbledon were left raging in the 71 minute when Sam Wood, who looked to be in an offside position, headed in Wycombe’s second from four yards out.

The away side surrounded the referee but the man in the middle refused to listen to their protests and awarded the goal.

Shea was fast becoming the busiest man of the day and he nearly gifted Wycombe their third two minutes later when he miskicked, but Hayes was not quick enough to catch up to the ball and it was eventually cleared.

Neither side had a clear-cut chance in the remaining few minutes and it was Wycombe who took the three points.

AFC: Shea, Fuller, Smith, Bennett, Barrett, Francomb (Azeez), Nicholson (Pell 73mins), Moore, Rigg (Sainte-Luce 63mins), Tubbs, Akinfenwa. Subs (not used): McDonnell, Frampton, Kennedy, Fitzpatrick.