AFC Wimbledon 3 York City 1

AFC Wimbledon manager Neal Ardley singled out Matt Tubbs after the striker’s brace in a rampant final 10 minutes helped beat York City in the FA Cup first-round replay at Kingsmeadow on Tuesday night.

The Dons, unchanged from their league win against Dagenham and Redbridge, came from behind to turn the game around in the final 20 minutes with a goal from Jack Smith and two from Tubbs to seal a dramatic victory.

Ardley was understandably delighted with his side’s resilience to pull the game back and, in particular, highlighted the performance of Tubbs.

“Matt Tubbs is devastating in training and his first was typical of him, his ability to peel of the centre-half is different class” he said.

“I was disappointed with the first-half, I thought we lacked penetration and energy but the boys have had a tough schedule and should be proud of the way they kept going.”

Wes Fletcher opened the scoring for the away-side in the fifth minute with a dipping half-volley from 25 yards which James Shea’s fingertips could not keep out.

Dannie Bulman came closest to equalising for the Dons five minutes before the break when he spotted York keeper Michael Ingham off his line and hit a speculative 30 yard half-volley that drifted just wide of the post.

Shea produced an impressive reflex save to deny Jake Hyde from close range early in the second half before Adam Barrett headed agonisingly wide for the Dons.

But AFC Wimbledon got the equlaiser with 20 minutes left when Smith levelled with a half-volley after Bayo Akinfenwa knocked-down perfectly from a Frankie Sutherland cross.

Shea then produced another magnificent save for the home-side, denying Hyde’s powerful shot low to his left before Tubbs took over.

The on-loan striker put the hosts back in front with 10 minutes remaining, slotting past Ingham following an intricate through-ball from Akinfenwa.

And when Ingham went up the other end for a corner in the final minute, Dons counter-attacked through Sutherland and Tubbs finished off to book a second round tie at fellow League Two outfit Wycombe Wanderers on Sunday, December 7

Dons : Shea, Fuller, Bennett, Barrett, Smith, Francomb (Moore 61), Bulman, Sutherland, Rigg (Azeez 61), Tubbs, Akinfenwa. Subs not used: Kennedy, Nicholson, Beere, Oakley, McDonnell.