Hurst by Name, Hurst by Nature

AFC Wimbledon 0-4 Southend United                                                         Attendance: 3753

A goal just before half-time by Gavin Tomlin left AFC Wimbledon deflated going into the break after a solid first half performance and Southend took full advantage of silly mistakes through Ryan Cresswell, a second from Gavin Tomlin and substitute Barry Corr rounding off the rout.

Although Kevan Hurst never got on the score sheet, unlike his obvious name-sake, Sir Geoff Hurst, he did provide assists for all four of Southend’s goals from a sublime flick to put Tomlin through for his first to three perfectly executed dead balls from which his team-mates happily obliged.

However AFC Wimbledon didn’t look like they were going to crumble to a 4-0 thrashing from the off when early on the ball was camped in Southend’s half with The Dons playing some decent football along the ground.

On eight minutes the impressive Jake Reeves found himself with a lot of space 25 yards out and was encouraged to shoot, and he didn’t disappoint with a cracking effort that skimmed the top of the crossbar.

Five minutes later and there big shouts for a penalty for Wimbledon for a handball against Ryan Cresswell but referee Bond waved away protests.

But for all the pressure the Southend United defence seemed to cope well with any phase of play that entered the final third and Paul Smith was never really tested with Jack Midson dropping deeper throughout the half to try and get involved in some play when he would have been better sticking in the box with Byron Harrison perhaps.

Then out of the blue on the 43^rd minute Kevan Hurst puts through Gavin Tomlin with a delicate little dink that caught the Wimbledon defence off-guard and with one touch away from the chasing Yado Mambo hits a thunderous shot across the helpless Neil Sullivan and leaving the home fans, and some away fans, stunned.

Wimbledon have been hampered with a massive injury list this season and top-scorer could well be another one added to that list as manager Neal Ardley took him off at half-time and in his replace young Charlie Strutton.

A goal before half-time knocks any teams’ confidence, but when you’re near the bottom and things aren’t going for you then it’s bound to open the floodgates.

That confidence knock definitely showed just two minutes into the half when Yado Mambo played what looked a routine head back to the keeper only for it to fall short and, if it weren’t for a quick reaction from Neil Sullivan to read the danger, Britt Assombalonga could have made the day a whole lot worse.

But it wasn’t until the 62^nd minute when Southend got their second. Hurst whipped in a corner that found Ryan Cresswell at the back post who jumped highest and nodded down into the ground to make it 2-0.

Southend really should have had more on the night and no chance was more blatant than when Hurst was through one-on-one with a player either side of him but chose to shoot himself, which proved to be the wrong decision with a very tame shot not even lifting off the ground into Sullivan’s grateful arms.

But moments later, on the 69^th minute, he redeemed himself, proving he may not have the strikers finish but is able to play the ball for strikers to finish. Hurst curled in a free-kick from the edge of the 18-yard box to find Gavin Tomlin on the run with no marker to nod home his second of the game and made it 3-0.

Substitute Barry Corr was able to get on the score sheet on the 90^th minute with Hurst collecting four assists for the game. Hurst played in another corner that bounced to Corr’s feet that had time to swivel and strike a powerful shot to finish Wimbledon off.

The result meant Wimbledon sit perilously close to the relegation zone whilst, in contrast, Southend United are on the verge of the play-off places.

Wimbledon: Sullivan, Osano, Fenlon (Johnson 73), Mambo, Antwi, Long (Djilali 68), Francomb, Meades, Reeves, Midson, Harrison (Strutton 45).

Unused Subs: McNaughton, Jaimez-Ruiz, Harris, Merrifield

Southend United: Smith, Clohessy, Cresswell, Phillips, Barker (Prosser 73), Mkandawire, Timlin, Hurst, Laird, Assombalonga (Corr 70), Tomlin

Unused Subs: Eastwood, Bentley, Martin, Spicer, Woodyard