Neil Shipperley and Patrick Agyemang extended resurgent Wimbledon's unbeaten
run to five matches with a goal each in today's 2-0 Division One victory over
feeble Millwall at Selhurst Park.
Shipperley struck his 19th of the season from close range before substitute
Agyemang sealed victory in injury time to keep Wimbledon's faint play-off hopes
alive.
There was little for the 1,785 travelling Millwall fans in the 2,952 crowd to
cheer in this scrappy south London derby, with a late Steve Claridge goal ruled
out for offside the closest they came.
The Lions started the game tamely and went from bad to worse in the first
half. Damien Francis charged through a gap in their static defence only for
goalkeeper Tony Warner to save alertly with his legs in the opening moments.
Warner rescued Millwall again in the 12th minute, racing out to parry a
point-blank shot from David Connolly after the striker's exchange of passes with
the Peter Hawkins sent him clear in the penalty area.
Shipperley then forced Warner into a fine fingertip save with a fierce drive.
But Republic of Ireland international Connolly was guilty of a glaring miss from
eight yards after 15 minutes, miskicking a weak effort against the Millwall
goalkeeper.
Shipperley gave the home side the lead after 18 minutes, making no mistake on
the goalline after Connolly's cross deflected off Darren Ward.
Connolly could have made it two on the half-hour but got the ball stuck under
his feet, allowing Paul Robinson to block.
Millwall eventually found some attacking threat when Richard Sadlier climbed
above home debutant Ben Chorley to head just over the bar. Neil Harris wasted a
good opportunity from an acute angle 10 yards out, striking straight into the
grateful arms of Kelvin Davis.
Lions boss Mark McGhee had seen enough before half-time, hauling off Sadlier
for Claridge immediately after the Irishman had earned a talking-to from referee
Tony Bates for squaring up to Trond Andersen.
Connolly's misfortune in front of goal continued after the break, with Warner
out quickly to thwart him one on one - and goalscorer Shipperley was then
withdrawn in favour of Agyemang.
The Dons striker was quickly into the action, teeing up Nigel Reo-Coker who
shot just wide after 64 minutes.
But Paul Ifill promptly drew a smart, diving save from Davis at the other end
as Millwall gradually responded with a spell of pressure.
Claridge had the ball in the back of the net with five minutes left. But he
was adjudged offside from Christophe Kinet's corner, and Agyemang made sure of
victory in stoppage time with a curled left-foot shot from 18 yards.
Teams
Wimbledon: Davis, Darlington, Chorley, Andersen, Hawkins,
McAnuff, Tapp, Reo-Coker, Francis (Morgan 77),
Shipperley (Agyemang 56), Connolly.
Subs Not Used: Gray, Gier, Gore.
Booked: McAnuff, Hawkins.
Goals: Shipperley 19, Agyemang 90.
Millwall: Warner, Lawrence, Robinson, Ward, Ryan, Roberts,
Hearn (Wise 68), Livermore, Ifill, Sadlier (Claridge 43),
Harris (Kinet 50).
Subs Not Used: Nethercott, Gueret.
Att: 2,952
Ref: A Bates (Staffordshire).
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