A mid-week 8:00pm match on an unfamiliar pitch against a team fighting for survival can be daunting, yet Wimbledon rose to the challenge with a strong team performance to make it 11 games unbeaten.
Sevenoaks began well and it was an even game for the first 15 minutes with Wimbledon defending well with Michael Hoare in commanding form well supported by Iain Lewers and Nathanael Stewart.
Wimbledon then began to take control with far more possession and this paid off as Chad Conlon did good work and made a reverse stick cross which was swept in by Ben Arnold.
Wimbledon then put their foot down and Simon Mantell expertly converted short corner on 18 and 25 minutes.
In the second half Wimbledon played some good hockey, but Sevenoaks responded well by forcing three short corners.
The game was really put to bed by debut player Ben Roe who scored a fine goal on 54 minutes. Moving down the right past the 25 meter line he dinked around a defender and then as he moved into the D, hit a fine reverse stick shot into the corner of the net. A good way to start Premier League hockey.
There were other good performances from Bailey in goal, and Ben Arnold, Simon Mantell and Captain Jonny Kinder in attack but overall it was the full team performance that won the day.
The result puts Wimbledon level with Reading in fourth place within four points of league leaders Beeston but with a game in hand on the teams above them.
The weekend sees a critical double header with Brooklands MU on Saturday to be played at Surbiton High School because of the fixture back log, and then Reading at KCS on Sunday.
