Latest news with #Hippolyte
Daily Mirror
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
AFC Wimbledon promoted to League One as Guitar Hero joins Crazy Gang folklore
Myles Hippolyte fired the goal that restores the modern-day Crazy Gang to League One in their play-off final against Walsall and Saddlers fans are wondering how they blew a 12-point lead at the top in January Spice Boy Myles Hippolyte sparked another Wombles party at Wembley as AFC Wimbledon left their unloved step-brothers from Milton Keynes behind. As the Grenada international's winner in first-half stoppage time sent the original Dons - accept no imitations on retail parks - back into League One, manager Johnnie Jackson led the celebrations of 30,000 fans following their 1-0 win against Walsall in the fourth tier play-off final. On international duty, 30-year-old Hippolyte represents the Caribbean island where the most famous export is nutmeg. In more than 400 games from the Spartan South Midlands League upwards, he has never played at a higher level than League Two - but now he belongs in the Crazy Gang pantheon of Wembley heroes with Lawrie Sanchez and penalty-save legend Dave Beasant. Hippolyte said: 'We're just a great team. We're hard to beat, we run, we fight, we do everything for each other. I had a feeling I was going to score today. I don't know why, but I got a few texts saying this was going to be my day.' In a throwback to Wimbledon's finest hour, there were echoes of the 1988 FA Cup final - all-blue against all-red, same score. With Crazy Gang godfather Dave Bassett and Beasant in the posh seats, they had to weather heavy pressure and an even heavier downpour to take the chequered flag. Guitar hero Jackson raised £10,000 for a children's cancer charity by performing open-air gigs in his back garden and posting them online during lockdown. Now he's turned his promotion heroes into AFC Wimbledon's boys of strummer. Jackson said: 'As a player, not playing at Wembley was one of my big regrets, so to lead a team out here and win makes this probably the best day of my life. But it was all torture. We couldn't rest for a minute and this is surreal, it feels like a dream. 'This club was reborn in a pub and I should think we'll be visiting quite a few in the next 24 hours to celebrate! I was pleased to see Charlton go up because I've got a long history with the club, and I got a few messages off people there overnight saying, 'Now it's your turn.' But I wouldn't have thought I'll be getting the guitar out yet - I don't want it doused in champagne.' Walsall must have feared it wouldn't be their day when clots selling half-and-half scarves on Wembley Way couldn't even spell the club's name right. But the Saddlers were 12 points clear at the top in January and somehow they blew it. Their collapse will go down as one of football's most harrowing Devon Loch tributes. In the battle of League Two's best defence and highest scorers, it was more cagey than the lions' enclosure at Whipsnade Zoo and the first goal was always likely to prove decisive. Chances were rarer than hen's teeth until Marcus Browne's shot was blocked but Hippolyte's crisp half-volley from the edge of the box was too much for Walsall keeper Tommy Simkin, only his third goal of the season and easily the most precious. The Saddlers rallied after the break, Riley Harbottle clearing off the line from Jamille Matt's flick, and Walsall boss Mat Sadler seemed convinced Joe Lewis should have been penalised for grabbing a handful of Levi Amantchi's shirt in the box. Sadler groaned: 'When you are stood there watching the celebrations and it's not your players who are celebrating it's torture. But we are fighters so there will be no feeling sorry for ourselves.' WIMBLEDON (3-5-2): Goodman 6; Harbottle 7 (Ogundere, 69, 6), Lewis 7, Johnson 8; Tilley 6, Smith 6, Reeves 7, Hippolyte 7 (Maycock, 90), Neufville 6; Browne 7 (Pigott, 90), Stevens 5 (Kelly, 77). WALSALL (3-4-2-1): Simkin 7; Okagbue 6, Williams 5 (McEntee, 34, 6), Allen 6; Asiimwe 5 (Barrett, 74), Chang 5 (Lakin, 74), Stirk 6, Gordon 6; Jellis 5 (Adomah, 63, 7), Hall 6; Matt 5 (Amantchi, 63, 6). ATTENDANCE: 50,947 MAN OF THE MATCH: Ryan Johnson
North Wales Chronicle
26-05-2025
- Sport
- North Wales Chronicle
AFC Wimbledon seal promotion to League One with play-off final win over Walsall
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.
South Wales Argus
26-05-2025
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
AFC Wimbledon seal promotion to League One with play-off final win over Walsall
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.
Rhyl Journal
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Rhyl Journal
AFC Wimbledon seal promotion to League One with play-off final win over Walsall
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.
Powys County Times
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Powys County Times
AFC Wimbledon seal promotion to League One with play-off final win over Walsall
Myles Hippolyte scored the match-winning goal as AFC Wimbledon secured promotion to League One with a 1-0 win against Walsall in the League Two play-off final. 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.
