AFC Wimbledon 5-1 Braintree

Terry Brown hailed a season-best performance from his side and roared: we’re finally ready for Chelmsford!

The Dons battered Braintree with striker Jon Main’s hat-trick taking his league tally to 23 for the season.

Three points over at Bishop’s Stortford this Tuesday will take Wimbledon to the Blue Square South summit – and the current leaders are due at Kingsmeadow in seven days time.

Manager Brown said: “It was perhaps our best all-round performance of the season when you take everything into account. I thought in every department we excelled and we’re scoring goals for fun right now.

“Braintree have a fantastic team who last week smashed Eastleigh only to be robbed late on, and don’t forget they have a great recent away record too. We made them look average at times.

“Myself and Simon Bassey actually had a really bad feeling about today but we’ve passed the test and played some wonderful football.

“It was a great performance and I think the crowd really enjoyed it. We’re ready for Chelmsford but let’s not forget Bishop’s Stortford on Tuesday night.

“It would be massive for us to go into that match with City on Saturday sitting top of the table.”

Wimbledon went ahead six minutes in after “justice was done” following an awful challenge on Kennedy Adjei by Iron’s Ryan Moran.

Sam Hatton gave the defender his just deserts as he blasted home the free-kick with the aid of a slight deflection off the Braintree number 5.

It was 2-0 when Main tapped home on the half-hour and before half time the game was as good as up for the visitors – the striker getting his second after Hatton’s shot fell perfectly at his feet.

Danny Hockton did pull one back towards the end of the first half but just three minutes after the re-start, Elliott Godfrey put through Main who typically did the rest to snatch the match ball.

Dwane Lee iced the cake a few minutes from full-time, finishing expertly high into the net from a Chris Hussey corner to leave Brown purring.

“The only thing that worries me at the moment is what happens if we lose Danny Kedwell or Mainy?” he added. “Belal (Aiteouakrim) has yet another injury, which is hardly the first time in living history he’s not been available for selection.

“If we did lose either I’d have to go out and bring someone in, but that’s for another day - we’re delighted by this win.”