AFC Wimbledon Get Knocked Out of the Caradao Cup

Gillingham secured a victory in the Carabao Cup with two late goals away to AFC Wimbledon.
The Gills only glimmer of hope in the first 45 minutes came when Lewis Walker was fed the ball dashing forwards. His effort drifted wide.
AFC Wimbledon however came alive as it progressed. Their little, nippy Ayoub Assal, gave the Gillingham defence a torrid time on occasions. It was through his creation that Will Nightingale ended up shooting in attacking midfield that rebounded off Jake Turner the opposition’s goalkeeper. Later Assal dispossessed Gillingham’s Alexander McDonald. He charged forwards before sending a ball to Kyle Hudlin ahead of him. His strike was kept out by Turner.
Gillingham soon awoke following the interval. Their first slice of the dice stemmed from a free kick that Will Wright took. His chance went the wrong side of the nearby post after a spectacular save by AFC Wimbledon’s keeper Nathan Broome.
It became heated at times and no more so when Wright whipped the ball in from the left. There was a scrappy battle which went into the back of the net from Gillingham’s Mikael Mandron. It was deemed offside.
If AFC Wimbledon’s Josh Davison’s piece of magic from 20 yards out had been fractionally lower maybe the night’s story would have been written differently. It went over the bar instead.
Just when both sides were settling for a draw Mandron was given the ball on the outskirts of the box in the 90th minute. He fired in a shot that the home contingent could not cope with to send the Gills support wild.
This persuaded many AFC Wimbledon fans to depart the scene and as they did Gillingham made another dent in the wound. Jordan Green rampaged into the box before unleashing a strike to make it 2-0.
Speaking to the South London Press afterwards AFC Wimbeldon’s manager Johnnie Jackson expressed that, “I’m disappointed for my lads because they have given everything. They have worked so hard and they’re implementing everything I am asking of them, but we haven’t taken the chances tonight – that was the difference.

Match report by Nick park