AFC WIMBLEDON 3

Assal 48, Chislett 61, 63

WEYMOUTH 1

Ash 78

WEYMOUTH gave AFC Wimbledon another major fright before succumbing 3-1 in their Emirates FA Cup first round replay at Plough Lane.

The Terras looked every inch the better side in the first half as the stand-out Tom Blair missed an open goal and Xander McBurnie hit the bar.

League Two club AFC Wimbledon finally showed why 58 places separate the sides in the English football pyramid as Ayoub Assal raced clear to score on 48 minutes.

A quickfire double from sub Ethan Chislett made sure of a home tie with Chesterfield in the second round, but Weymouth did not leave without consolation thanks to Brad Ash’s looping header.

Weymouth named a new signing in their matchday squad, Max McCoy, brother to Hari, who was also named in the Terras' 16.

Bobby Wilkinson made only one change from the side that began the 1-0 win over Braintree as Luke Nippard came in for Cam Murray, who took his place on the bench.

Weymouth goalkeeping coach Jason Matthews was also named in the squad, with the Terras only fielding five of the permitted seven substitutes.

Tyler Forbes had no place in the squad, while Exeter loanee Ed James has been forbidden from competing in the Cup for Weymouth by the Grecians.

Josh Oyinsan joined Murray, the McCoy brothers and Matthews in the dugout.

Looking to exert their authority over Weymouth, AFC Wimbledon created a chance in the fifth minute through their goalscorer in the initial tie, Assal.

The striker cheekily aimed a shot at the near post, forcing Zaki Oualah into conceding a corner, which when cleared allowed Davison to steal in at the far post, only to make no contact.

But Weymouth soon began to turn the tables on the Dons, ranked 58 places above them in the English league pyramid.

Keelan O’Connell forced keeper Nathan Broome, one of six home changes, into an awkward stop from a free-kick before Weymouth had handball shouts ignored following a crisp move.

Blair, who was by a country mile the best player on the pitch in the first half, then sailed forward and supplied Brad Ash on the right who tested Broome with a firm shot.

Buoyed by a rapturous away support, Weymouth piled on the pressure as Blair’s 40-yard run forced another corner that came to nothing.

And Blair really should have scored from a huge chance in the 23rd minute when Broome could only parry O’Connell’s scuffed shot to the winger, who contrived to cushion a volley over with the goal unattended.

The Dons were forced into a change when Jack Currie pulled up with an injury, replaced by Hus Biler 28 minutes in.

Biler was instantly involved as his left-wing cross was headed just over by the towering figure of Harry Pell.

However, Biler was made to look silly in defence by Blair as the winger surged inside and offloaded to Bearwish with a gorgeous pass.

His cross was cleared only as far as Xander McBurnie who grazed the bar from 25 yards.

Weymouth had to be alert at the end of the half as Ryler Towler’s cross picked out Josh Davison in the area, only for Dan Matsuzaka to slide in with a crucial last-ditch block.

Going in level at the break, Weymouth re-emerged for the second half in the ascendancy as Blair’s mazy run found Rose who in turn picked out McBurnie for the skipper to fire just wide from 20 yards.

It took a rare error for Weymouth to let the Dons in and, from there, they never looked back.

Weymouth switched off from a free-kick and allowed Assal to escape on the left, where he showed his electric pace before curling into the far corner in the 48th minute.

Broome needed to make a reaction save to deny Rose but Alex Pearce should have made it 2-0 when he guided a corner wide.

AFC Wimbledon made a triple change on 58 minutes and Chislett made a match-winning impact less than three minutes later.

Weymouth were still adjusting with Kyprianou and Nippard going off injured and Chislett walked into space vacated by the reshuffle to nod home Pell’s knock-down on 61 minutes.

Two minutes later and Chislett had his second as a beautiful one-touch move unlocked Weymouth’s defence, allowing the substitute to coolly slot home from 12 yards.

The Dons finally began to show their class after 160 minutes of the tie by threatening a goal every time they came forward, Pell shooting into the netting and then heading at Oualah.

Given all of Weymouth’s brilliant play they deserved a goal and it duly came in the 78th minute when the outstanding Blair’s cross was met by a looping header from Ash for his seventh goal of the season.

At the other end, Chislett forced Oualah into tipping his corner out via the bar.

Weymouth chased a second goal as Blair’s mazy run came to nothing, but the Terras were unable to utilise six minutes of added time as their memorable cup run came to an end.

AFC Wimbledon: Broome, Marsh (Chislett 58), Pell, Davison, Assal (Senior 86), Towler, Pearce (Kalambayi 58), Maghoma, Currie (Biler 28), Fisher (Bendle 58), Ogundere. Subs not used: Tzanev, Woodyard, Jenkins, Bartley.

Terras: Oualah, Bearwish, Carlyle, Matsuzaka, Kyprianou (Oyinsan 60), McBurnie, Blair, Nippard (Murray 60), Rose, Ash, O'Connell. Subs not used: H McCoy, M McCoy, Matthews.

Referee: Declan Bourne.

Attendance: 3,672 (561 away fans)