Dons fans in great voice for District Line derby but Fulham shadow team has too much for their heroes

Another day, another derby

Carabao Cup Second Round

Fulham (2) 3 Smith Rowe 37, Muniz 42, Gonzalo 90+3

AFC Wimbledon (0) 0

The big question for Alvaro Arbeloa after this one was: What did Oscar Bobb do to make him the only survivor from Monday night's clash with Chelsea. And was it reward or punishment?

Either way, the Man City import seemed to enjoy being the one constant in a starting line up showing 10 changes from three days ago.

One of those changes was particularly good to see too - as Ryan Sessegnon was able to play against twin brother Steven for the first time ever - though the AFC Wimbledon defender operated on the opposite flank to his sibling, so the chances for them to clash were limited.

Johnnie Jackson must have felt the wholesale changes might help bridge the two division gap between the clubs but in reality, the Whites still had way too much in reserve for them.

They soon monopolised the ball and although the Dons repelled them well for more than half an hour and even fashioned a couple of chances of their own, they were undone by a two goal salvo in a five minute spell.

First, Emile Smith Rowe nodded in from close range after Ryan Sessegnon had headed a Kenny Tete cross back into his path, then the Dutch full-back delivered another great ball in from the right that Rodrigo Muniz got on the end of with his head to break a year-long scoring drought.

That always felt likely to be enough to earn Fulham a third round trip to West Ham, though Arbeloa was looking a bit frustrated that more goals did not flow during a meandering second half that was finally enlivened by two great cameos.

One was the performance of 18-year-old ex-Arsenal Academy debutant Macauley Zepa on the right wing - the other was from Gonzalo Garcia, who bagged his second goal in two games in injury time after a dazzling burst down the right which took him past Dan Sweeney and around keeper Nathan Bishop before he rolled the ball in from a tight angle.

And claiming an assist for that goal was the lively Zepa, who moments earlier had frustrated the Spanish striker by delaying a pass on a counter attack but was now in his good books for a decisive early pass to set him up for the goal.

Zepa himself came very close to scoring too, curling one effort narrowly wide and forcing the keeper into a good save right at the death. His was a thrilling introduction and even if he was up against third tier opponents, it was an impressive outing from the young Frenchman, who arguably outshone Kevin's decent first half showing.

Wimbledon were game challengers and their fans superb. "Dons away, I like it," they sang incessantly, even at 2-0 down. They have yet to win a game in 90 minutes this season but should take heart from this display.

Skipper Ali Smith had an early effort blocked and Callum Maycock so very nearly turned in a Myles Hippolyte cross. It would have given them the sniff of a giant-killing.

But the Whites were soon racking up good chances, with Tete heading just over and Smith Rowe missing a good opening after a nice chip into the danger area from Shea Charles before the ex-Arsenal midfielder finally got on the scoresheet.

Whites: (4-2-3-1) Lecomte - Tete, Andersen (Bassey 62), De Fougerolles (Nwoko 68), Ryan Sessegnon - Reed, Charles - Bobb (Zepa h/t), Smith Rowe, Kevin (Palacios 73) - Muniz (Gonzalo Garcia 73)

Dons: (5-4-1) Bishop - Tilley (Junior Nkeng 80), Yiadom, Seeeney Seddon, Steven Sessegnon - Maycock (Nelson 67), Harrison (McCoy-Splatt 86), Smith, Hippolyte (Hackford 80) - Sasu (Stockley 67)

Attendance: 17,714