AFC Wimbledon seal promotion to League One with play-off final win over Walsall

Rhyl Journal

26-05-2025

The Dons went ahead on the stroke of half-time thanks to a thunderous strike from Hippolyte.
Johnnie Jackson's side had to ride their luck during a thrilling second half, with Riley Harbottle clearing Jamille Matt's effort off the line.
However, Wimbledon held on to write another chapter in the club's remarkable story.
Hippolyte drove into the opposition box during the early stages of the match, only for Birmingham loanee Alfie Chang to react well and force the ball behind for a goal kick.
Hippolyte turned provider in the 14th minute, dinking a delightful delivery into the path of Dons top scorer Matty Stevens.
However, the striker could not react quickly enough to prod the cross past Tommy Simkin.
Hippolyte continued his lively start to the match with a shot from the edge of the penalty area, but his attempt drifted wide of the right post.
Marcus Browne was the next Dons player to take aim from distance. His strike looked destined to nestle in the bottom-right corner, but Simkin was there to make a crucial save.
Stevens put Alistair Smith through on goal in the 38th minute but, to Walsall's relief, the Dons midfielder took too long to get his shot away, allowing Taylor Allen to get back and make a brilliant challenge.
Hippolyte was rewarded for a sensational first-half performance in the second minute of added time.
The ball fell to him on the edge of the box following a Dons corner, and he blasted it into the back of the net with a left-footed half-volley.
Walsall came out of the blocks firing after half-time, and the pressure almost told in the 49th minute when Matt turned Nathan Asiimwe's cross towards goal. However, Harbottle was able to clear the ball off the line and keep his side in the lead.
As the heavens opened above Wembley, Allen drove a delivery across the face of goal, but nobody got a touch on it and Wimbledon survived the storm.
Levi Amantchi came off the bench in the 63rd minute, and he had an excellent chance to equalise with his second touch of the game after bursting past Joe Lewis.
The Dons fans breathed a sigh of relief though when the forward directed his shot straight down the throat of League Two golden glove winner Owen Goodman.
Josh Neufville then went one-on-one with the keeper, but his shot from a tight angle produced another excellent save from Simkin.
David Okagbue sent a wild effort over the crossbar with four minutes remaining after the ball fell to him inside the box.
Walsall failed to carve out any more clear-cut chances as the Dons held on to secure promotion back to League One.