Hippolyte heaven as Dons bury Walsall to return to League One after three years away
- By Yann Tear at Wembley Stadium
- May 26
- 3 min read
League Two Play-Off Final
AFC Wimbledon (1) 1 Hippolyte 45
Walsall (0) 0
There wasn't too much in it - but just enough to make all the difference.
A more solid, more together Wimbledon repelled, parried and then struck before the break through Myles Hippolyte to give them the foothold they never relinquished.
Johnnie Jackson's men are heading back to League One - the division they fell from three years ago and a season of steady consistency has trumped the blistering start and fade out of opponents Walsall.
The Midlanders were 12 points clear at the top of League Two in mid-January but their form has collapsed and today proved to be the sorry culmination of that demise. Three wins in their final 21 games say it all.
Victory mirrors the 2016 play-off triumph over Plymouth Argyle to maintain that perfect record in end of season deciders. It also keeps up that feeling that Wembley will always be special to them following the famous 88 FA Cup Final.
A record 'The Franchise' Milton Keynes can only dream of. As the final whistle sounded players raced towards the end of the stadium where their fans were massed - the lucky end that has housed fans of all three play-off winners over the weekend as well as Palace fans in the FA Cup final and Newcastle in the Carabao Cup. Talk about a lucky omen.
The Dons took started by concentrating on keeping their defensive shape and coping with a few long throw-ins in the box. It seemed to sharpen the appetite of Ryan Johnson who was imposing in the air. They were ready for the threat likely to come from experienced Walsall skipper Jamille Matt.
Neither side offered much going forward in terms of clear-cut shots until Hippolyte's off target left footer nearly half an hour in. They came much closer with a thunderous attempt from a similar position outside the box by Marcus Browne that Saddlers keeper Tommy Simkin did well to get down to and turn aside.
The Dons have a great stopper in Crystal Palace loanee Owen Goodman - an ever-present in the league this season for the Dons - but Simkin is a reliable keeper, with 16 clean sheets for the campaign.
Then came the breakthrough just before the interval. A long throw in was followed by some head tennis and half clearances before Browne's rifled effort bounced back off blocking defenders towards Hippolyte and the midfielder thumped it back with interest - his left footer bobbling into the bottom left hand corner.
It was only the Grenada international's third goal of the season and a perfect time to get it. It's not one he's ever likely to forget.
Walsall, with the best goals-for record on League Two, came very close to quick response after the break. Matt got in ahead of Joe Lewis to toe-poke the ball goalwards and it needed swift intervention from Riley Harbottle to clear off the line. His warrior-like intervention would be later enhanced by having a bandage applied after taking a blow to the head.
But the Saddlers, who have been a side in virtual freefall in the second half of the season still looked like a cast collectively struggling to remember its lines. The Dons knew they had it in them to cash in on that heavily bruised ego.
As rain started to fall, the Dons began to threaten a second goal, with skipper Jake Reeves shooting just over the bar from 25 yards as extra pressure bore down on Walsall defenders being panicked into hasty boots into touch.
The Saddlers missed a great chance when sub Levi Amantchi - on for Matt - burst past Lewis and had the opportunity to lob Goodman, who was way off his line. But the striker didn't get the required elevation on his attempt and it was easily saved. They would create little after than in spite of the promptings of the busy George Hall.
Josh Neufville nearly beat Simkin after getting in behind the Saddlers' defence to make it 2-0. A fine reflex one-armed save thwarted him. In the end, though, it would have just been icing on the cake because the hard yards had already been done.
Dons: (3-5-2) Goodman - Harbottle (Ogundere 69), Lewis, Johnson - Tilley, Smith, Reeves, Hippolyte (Maycock 90), Neufville - Browne (Sasu 90), Stevens (Kelly 77)
Saddlers: (3-4-2-1) Simkin - Okagbue, Williams (McEntee 34), Allen - Asimwe (Barrett 74), Chang (Lakin 74), Stirk, Gordon - Jellis (Adomah 62), Hall - Matt (Amantchi 62)
Attendance: 50,947
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