Leyton Orient 1-3 AFC Wimbledon
New Year resolution: play it forwards
AFC Wimbledon began the new year by doing something quietly radical.
We tried to win the game.
After going behind early at Brisbane Road, Wimbledon responded with intent and importantly, variation. Goals from Alistair Smith, Myles Hippolyte and Marcus Browne secured all three points and delivered a performance that felt deliberate rather than hopeful.
New year. New Dons.
At least for ninety minutes.
The team
Johnnie Jackson made three changes from the defeat to Exeter City.
Omar Bugiel returned. Marcus Browne came back in. Myles Hippolyte started.
More important than the names was the shape - and it wasn’t the shape in the image as far as we can tell. But an extra midfielder playing gave us control without neutering the attack. It felt like a side picked to solve a problem rather than repeat one.
The match
The hosts struck early.
Six minutes gone and Ballard finished from close range after neat work down our right. The familiar away-day feeling was threatening to creep in.
It didn’t.
The response was calm and, more importantly, purposeful. Wimbledon pushed higher, moved the ball quicker and stopped waiting for perfect moments. Steve Seddon began to find space on the left and his deliveries started asking questions Orient did not enjoy answering.
The equaliser came midway through the half and it felt earned. Seddon again. A quality ball into the box. Alistair Smith outmuscled his marker and finished with the outside of his boot. Not flashy. Just strong and decisive. Possibly an own-goal, we don’t mind either way.
From there, Wimbledon grew into the game. Set pieces followed. Johnson flicked one on. Joe Lewis went close after a loose clearance. Orient struggled to reset and were visibly relieved to reach the break level.
The second half followed the same pattern. Wimbledon on the front foot. Jan-cock driving through midfield. Smith linking play. Bugiel stretching the back line and going close with a looping header.
The breakthrough arrived just after the hour. Another Seddon delivery caused problems and Myles Hippolyte ghosted in at the far post to finish from a tight angle. It was the kind of goal that comes from movement and belief.
Orient pushed bodies forward in response, but space opened up rather than pressure building.
With five minutes left, Marcus Browne ended it properly. A free kick from 20 yards. Perfect contact.
From there it was pretty simple.
Full time. Deserved. Controlled. Convincing.
Womble of the Week: Myles Hippolyte
This was why he has to play.
He stretches games. He forces decisions. He creates space simply by existing on the pitch. His goal was vital, but the threat he carried all afternoon mattered just as much.
When Hippolyte and Browne are both on the pitch, defenders have problems. And we do not have many other players who cause them so reliably.
Start him when fit.
Closing thoughts
This was not perfect. But it was purposeful.
The extra midfielder worked. The tempo worked. Mixing it up worked. Amazing what happens when you stop passing sideways and backwards like you are waiting for permission.
Budgets are still tight. The season is still hard. None of that changed on January 1st.
But the intent did. And this felt like a reset rather than a fluke.
WombleWorld
JJ vowed to mix it up and cause chaos this New Year’s Day. Accordingly, he switched from hair gel to hair wax.