AFC Wimbledon were eviscerated 4-0 by a vastly superior Sheffield United side at Bramall Lane.
Alongside the opening day defeat at Walsall, this was one of the worst Dons performances this season and they were soundly beaten in South Yorkshire.
Here’s how they rated.
James Shea 5: Calamitous with his first intervention of the game in putting a free-kick on a plate for Sharp. Otherwise was left high and dry for the goals and made a good save from Duffy in the second half.
Barry Fuller 6: This was a manful display from the Dons skipper and he was one of the only individuals who could claim to come out with any credit. Competed in the air despite his size and looked to push forward at times.
Paul Robinson 5: Not an easy way to return from suspension for the experienced defender, who won his share of headers but struggled against the physical threat of Hanson.
Darius Charles 5: Has been one of the Dons’ more consistent individuals this season but was repeatedly caught out here. Lack of pace is an issue that Sharp and Duffy repeatedly exposed.
Sean Kelly 4: Just about everything that the young defender tried didn’t come off. Shaky defensively and his crossing was absolutely abysmal.
Dannie Bulman 5: Fought away in midfield and fizzed a low drive past the post in the first half. However, he’s not getting more mobile and could lose significant playing time with arrival of Soares and return of Parrett.
Tom Soares 6: A very difficult place to come and make your debut, although Soares competed well at times. Somewhat clumsy with the ball at feet. Brings good height to this team.
Jake Reeves 5: Didn’t have any time or space with which to distribute the ball. Fired in a couple of speculative long-range shots but he was second-best in midfield.
Lyle Taylor 6: An unfortunate return to the Steel City for Taylor. He had three good chances to get his goal and took up threatening positions. Left with a very tricky task up against a highly composed back three.
Tom Elliott 6: Put in plenty of effort and managed to pin his marker on occasion in the first half, yet to play for 90 minutes as a lone striker and not have a shot is disappointing.
Andy Barcham 3: Dons were collectively off the pace and Barcham pretty much encapsulated the team’s performance. Gave the ball away and failed to react for the second goal, while offering little in the way of direct running. Rightly hooked on the hour.
George Francomb 5: Came on for Bulman on the hour with the pattern of the game set. Looked a bit lost and didn’t really know what he was brought on to do.
Dom Poleon 5: Ran around enough but he was chasing shadows as the Blades were firmly into their stride by the time he was introduced. Another who won’t fondly remember his return to a former club.
And the match...
The Blades got their goals through Billy Sharp, James Hanson, John Fleck and Daniel Lafferty on what was a chastening afternoon for the Dons.
It was a nightmarish start for visitors. They were behind on two minutes when James Shea spilled a low free-kick and Billy Sharp tapped in the rebound from close range.
Despite settling into the game and registering long-range efforts through Jake Reeves and Dannie Bulman, the Dons couldn’t cope with United’s movement in the final third. James Hanson tucked home a cutback on debut to make it 2-0 in the 37th minute.
Neal Ardley’s men had a decent spell at the start of the second half and their two main chances fell to Lyle Taylor, driving into the side netting and then watching a back header trickle wide with Simon Moore out of goal trying to clear his lines.
United kept creating good chances and got their third with ten minutes left as John Fleck broke through a weak challenge and slotted a low left-footed strike into the bottom corner past Shea.
It was four in injury-time when the excellent Ciaran Lafferty cut on to his right foot and swept into the far corner.
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