Nielsen's lucky break deepens Dons gloom

Watford 3 Wimbledon

One of Wimbledon's abiding problems is that, rather like Scottish emigrés, their former players can be found all over the place. Their last manager, Terry Burton, has turned up at Vicarage Road as first-team coach, as have two former Dons, Marcus Gayle and Neal Ardley. It was Ardley's excellence with crosses which gave Watford the edge, though it needed a late winner from Allan Nielsen to bring them their first win of the season, rather fortunately achieved, as their manager, Ray Lewington, conceded.

This defeat served merely to deepen Wimbledon's woes, on and off the field, which was a pity, since their football in a second half they dominated was purposeful and deserved the reward of a point. As for the vexed matter of their support, things seem to be looking up, if marginally. Having taken two-dozen fans with them to Grimsby last Tuesday, Wimbledon mustered an eightfold increase yesterday, thanks to two coach-loads from their home-to-be, Milton Keynes. But their banner celebrating the impending move was cancelled by one at the Watford end saying: "MK No Way".

"Funny game, wasn't it?" was Lewington's summary of a contest which got under way with a monumental bloomer by Wimbledon's goalkeeper, Kelvin Davis, who miskicked a clearance into the path of Tommy Smith and was relieved to see the Watford striker scuff it wide of an empty net. Davis did rather better five minutes later, stretching to tip over Danny Webber's fine header from one of the stream of accurate crosses supplied by Ardley against his recent team-mates.

However, Watford were given a warning after 15 minutes by Adam Nowland. Having started only one match last season after being signed from Blackpool, Nowland just cleared Alec Chamberlain's bar with a first-time effort. Two minutes later he punished them, cracking home Neil Shipperley's excellent flicked volley.

With Patrick Agyemang also causing problems with his persistent runs and close control, Watford were in urgent need of an equaliser, and it came on the half-hour, thanks to Nielsen, the dead-ball specialist. His deep throw from the right touchline grazed a couple of Wimbledon heads before Webber launched himself to head it in at the far post. "He's a great athlete," said Lewington of the youngster who had to go off injured early in the second half.

Five minutes before half-time defender Mark Williams departed for a head gash to be stitched, and in his absence Watford went in front. Ardley was the architect with another of his pinpoint centres, and in steamed the left wing-back, Paul Robinson, to outjump two defenders and head in to Davis's left.

Williams resumed, his head bandaged, for the second half, and was quickly in action to turn for a corner another threat from the eager Robinson. Subsequently, Wimbledon took control of the second half, though not commandingly enough to keep their manager, Stuart Murdoch, happy. He was content enough, however, when the equaliser came with five minutes left. Gayle was penalised for a foul and the kick was taken by the Norwegian Trond Andersen. It was met by that bandaged head of Williams and then turned in on the volley by Damien Francis, with Watford appealing in vain for offside. "I thought we had got out of jail and got a point," said Murdoch.

So did Watford's angry supporters, but within less than two minutes jeers were transformed into cheers. A Watford free-kick was not challenged on the edge of Wimbledon's penalty line and Smith chested it down for Nielsen to score with his left foot. Full points, but luckily gained.

Watford 3
Webber 31, Robinson 42, Nielsen 87

Wimbledon 2
Nowland 17, Francis 86

Half-time: 2-1 Attendance: 10,292