By Lucas Ball
Holcombe suffered their first Premier Division defeat in four matches as Wimbledon ran out 3-0 victors at Holcombe Park on Sunday afternoon.
Karl Stagno’s side recorded their first win in Medway for three years by taking the three points, lifting themselves to fifth in the table in the process.
Barry Middleton’s team made a bright start, with Rob Field – fresh from scoring his first goal of the season on Saturday – twice came close to breaking the deadlock in the first quarter, either side of Ollie Payne making a good save to deny the visitors.
Alex Pendle, who netted his first two Holcombe goals against East Grinstead, was denied with an upright reverse effort midway through the second quarter, Phil Roper then lifting an effort onto the roof of the net as Holcombe chased the opener.
Payne was once more forced into action at a Wimbledon penalty corner before Tim Guise-Brown drag-flicked a penalty corner of Holcombe’s own over the bar on the stroke of half-time.
Ore Ogunlana was twice forced into action in the opening two minutes of the second half to deny Hayden Phillips and Guise-Brown but just a few minutes later, Stagno’s men took the lead.
Wimbledon poked the ball home following a goal-mouth scramble, with Payne forced into action on a number of occasions again before the end of the third period.
Early into the final period, Wimbledon reduced the chances of a Holcombe comeback as they converted a penalty stroke following a deliberate foul in the circle,
The visitors continued to turn the screw with Payne and Holcombe’s backline remaining busy, Wimbledon extending their lead with just over 10 minutes to play as Payne was beaten by a superb drag-flick into the top corner.
Holcombe tried to push for a late consolation but struggled to break down the Wimbledon defence, their only chances coming very late on as Roper was twice denied brilliantly by the impressive Ogunlana.
Holcombe are back in action on Saturday evening as they travel to the University of Nottingham (6:30pm), while Wimbledon take on Southgate at home (4:30pm).