Doncaster Rovers' promising start to season is halted

Goals from Kwesi Appiah and Andy Barcham just before the hour mark secured a first win of the campaign for the hosts at Kingsmeadow.

This was a desperately anemic performance from Rovers, who lacked invention and energy until finding themselves two goals adrift.

It brought down the curtain on what had been a superb opening month of the campaign back in League One.

Manager Darren Ferguson made once change to the side that had drawn 3-3 with Blackpool a week earlier, handing a start to Alfie May following his run of four goals in four games. Liam Mandeville dropped to the bench.

The first half hour brought no efforts on goal from either side and Rovers struggled to settle against an energetic Wimbledon outfit in the early stages, but began to find their feet.

They started the second half the stronger and began to find more space in the opposition half. But Wimbledon took the lead on 57 minutes. Appiah brought the ball down on the edge of the box and turned in one fluid motion, putting him one-on-one with Ian Lawlor and he slotted home superbly.

Before Rovers could catch their breath, they were two goals down. Barcham galloped forward and slammed in a shot from 20 yards that rattled in off the inside of a post.

AFC Wimbledon: Long, Fuller, Oshilaja, Robinson, Kennedy (Kaja 88), Francomb (Parrett 88), Abdou, Trotter, Taylor, Appiah (McDonald 76), Barcham. Unused substitutes: Nightingale, Sibbick, McDonnell, Hartigan.

Doncaster Rovers: Lawlor, Mason (Mandeville 63), Wright, Butler, Andrew, Whiteman, Blair, Rowe, Coppinger (Kongolo 62), Marquis (Williams 72), May. Unused substitutes: Alcock, Marosi, Garrett, Ben Khemis.

Referee: G Ward (Surrey).