Ipswich Town seal FA Cup progression with 3-1 win at AFC Wimbledon

The Blues took an early lead at Plough Lane, but they were pegged back by a penalty just minutes later. The hosts rallied well, but goals from Axel Tuanzebe and Jack Taylor killed the game off.

Town took a few minutes to find their feet, but they forced the first big chance of the game in the seventh minute as Omari Hutchinson’s cross from the right flank bounced off former Millwall defender Alex Pearce, flying narrowly wide of the target.

An own-goal saw Town take the lead early on at Plough Lane (Image: Pagepix Limited)

Wimbledon cleared the first corner, but they couldn’t keep the second one out. Jack Taylor’s delivery found Nathan Broadhead on the edge of the area, allowing him to fire a shot at goal. It deflected off Josh Davison and rolled past Alex Bass, giving Ipswich the lead via an own-goal.

The Dons easily could’ve crumbled, but they carved out a good chance of their own from a short corner routine. Ryan Johnson headed the ball over the crossbar from point-blank range, maintaining the visitors’ lead.

They were given a way back into the game as Taylor was penalised for a hand-ball in the box during a corner. Jake Reeves was the man chosen to step up, dispatching his spot-kick into the net in the 17th minute to equalise.

Axel Tuanzebe restored his side's lead with his first senior goal (Image: Pagepix Limited)

In truth, Wimbledon were the ascendency. They created the better openings until the half-hour mark, when the Blues broke with a quick spin from Broadhead. The Wales international cut onto his right and took aim, but he fired well over the crossbar.

He was involved again shortly before the half-time break, latching onto a lobbed ball before turning and firing at goal, forcing a superb save from Alex Bass. He whipped the corner into the box, causing a scramble that allowed Axel Tuanzebe to head home from close range, putting Town back ahead in the 40th minute.

They almost scored again less than 30 seconds after the restart as Broadhead cut inside from the left and fired a shot at goal. It deflected off Ryan Johnson and smacked the post, with Hutchinson seeing his close-range effort blocked before Johnnie Jackson's men could clear the danger.

Wimbledon played much of the second half with 10 men (Image: Ross Halls)

Harry Pell has often been a thorn in the side of Ipswich, but disciplinary issues came to the forefront at Plough Lane. He was given a yellow card in the first half for stopping Sam Morsy on the counter, meaning that he was given his marching orders in the 59th minute when he was caught elbowing George Edmundson in the face while challenging for the ball.

It didn't prevent Wimbledon from creating changes, although Town were clearly in the driving seat and pushing to kill the game off. They came close in the 69th minute as Cameron Humphreys' cross found Marcus Harness in the centre of the box, but he couldn't divert the ball into the net.

Wimbledon reacted, pouncing on a poor touch from Taylor that allowed Armani Little to run at goal. He took aim from distance with a powerful strike, forcing Christian Walton into a good save.

Jack Taylor scored late on to send the Blues into the fourth round (Image: Ross Halls)

Ipswich kept pushing. Humphreys forced a superb save from Bass before Luke Woolfenden found the back of the net from a corner with 15 minutes to play, although it was ruled out for offside.

The match became progressively scrappy as the clock ticked towards full-time, but Town killed it off in the 90th minute after substitute Wes Burns was played into space down the right. His low cross found Taylor in the middle, allowing him to fire home and send his side into the next round of the competition.

Wimbledon XI: 4-4-2: Bass; Biler (Ball 90'), Johnson, Pearce (Kalambayi 35’), Currie; Little, Reeves, Pell, Lemonheigh-Evans (Tilley 77'), Davison, Sasu

Town XI: 4-2-3-1: Walton; Tuanzebe, Woolfenden, Edmundson, Humphreys; Morsy (Ball 90'), Taylor; Hutchinson (Burns 81'), Harness (Buabo 81'), Broadhead (Aluko 81'); Ladapo (Sarmiento 57')

Attendance: 8,595 (1,319 away)