A 4-1 victory over a poor Wimbledon side continued Town's resurgent form. Alun Armstrong and sub Richard Naylor put the Blues ahead before Patrick Agyemang pulled one back just before the break. In a Town dominated second period Darren Bent scored the third and Pablo Couñago notched a penalty.

The Blues lined up with the same 11 as on Tuesday against Walsall. Early on neither side impressed, the first notable action the booking of Chris Bart-Williams for a foul on the halfway line on Adam Nowland. Although it was certainly a foul, as so often this season, a booking seemed very harsh.

Town were forced into their first substitution in just the 18th minute, Drissa Diallo replaced with Richard Naylor. Diallo and central defensive partner Georges Santos had collided earlier on when trying to clear just outside the penalty area, the former Mechelen player spending a lengthy spell receiving treatment for a leg injury.

Soon after Nowland hit a Town wall with a freekick from 20 yards after Matt Richards had been penalised.

The Blues started to get their passing going and on 21 they came close to a goal when a Fabian Wilnis cross was deflected straight up in the air by a defender. Darren Bent challenged with the keeper, the ball falling to Alun Armstrong whose header was cleared, but only as far as Jim Magilton, but the skipper headed over.

However, it would take only another minute before the Blues would go ahead. Matt Richards played the ball out to Alan Mahon on the left and the loanee whipped in a low cross which Alun Armstrong headed in low at the far post to put Town in front.

Armstrong was close to a second not long after. Only the presence of Malvin Kamara prevented the former Boro player from latching on to Darren Bent's left-wing cross.

On 25 the Blues were further in front. Jim Magilton played the ball to Alan Mahon from a short corner on the right. The Blackburn player crossed deep to Darren Bent who headed back to Alun Armstrong who tried to flick it past the keeper, Richard Naylor deflecting the ball into the net from closer in as Steve Banks prepared to make the save.

On the half hour Darren Bent was felled on the edge of the area by a combination of Kamara and Mikele Leigertwood but no foul was given. Referee Andy Penn was already annoying the Town support due to his pickiness and inconsistency.

Richard Naylor got his name in the book on 35 for a foul on Jobi McAnuff. Four minutes later Town's longest-serving player had to thank his central defensive partner for digging him out of a hole. Naylor mis-hit a backpass straight to Agyemang but Georges Santos coolly intervened with a vital challenge.

In the 42nd minute Santos played a fine ball wide to Matt Richards who sent in a cross which Darren Bent missed with the goal at his mercy.

It appeared that Town would go in at the break two goals-up until Wimbledon netted against the run of play. Agyemang chased a long ball over the top with Naylor and Santos in attendance. Neither of the Town pair took control of the situation and Naylor's weak header back to the advancing Davis allowed the Dons' striker to nip in a stab the ball through the keeper's legs and into the net.

Town were still applauded off at the break and Joe Royle decided his side should remain unchanged for the second period.

Skipper Jim Magilton hit the bar just three minutes into the new half. Fabian Wilnis volleyed the ball in from the right to the Northern Irishman on the edge of the box. He flicked the ball up and sent a dipping effort off the top of Banks' bar.

Nowland went into the referee's book on 49 for a cynical foul on Mahon as the winger broke quickly into the Dons' half.

On 50 Alun Armstrong played a ball in from the right for Darren Bent but Leigertwood got the merest of touches to take the ball away from the Blues' youngster.

Three minutes later Joe Royle decided to swap Armstrong, on the end of a late Rob Gier tackle not long before, for Pablo Couñago. Armstrong had had a fine game up front, took his goal well and is starting to emerge as Town's major striking threat. His manager and Town fans will hope he remains fit as the season continues.

Just before the hour mark Jim Magilton was tripped on the edge of the area. The Blues' captain took the freekick himself, curling the ball inches wide and into the side netting, momentarily getting a section of the Britannia Stand cheering.

Soon after Couñago won a freekick when Jermaine Darlington fouled him ten yards outside the penalty area on the Blues' right. Mahon whipped the ball across, a defender just getting a head on it with a number of Town players poised to nod home behind him.

Couñago, still looking for his first goal of the season, hit a 20 yarder wide before Wimbledon's main threat Agyemang did much the same at the other end when well-placed inside the Town area.

The Spaniard continued his quest for a goal with another distance effort, this time coming closer, the ball cannoning back off Banks' right-hand post.

A minute later the Blues had their third goal. Mahon broke down the left and sending in another excellent cross. The ball was beyond Couñago but Bent tapped in at the far post.

Wimbledon had an opportunity soon after, Albert Jarrett shooting straight at Kelvin Davis from the left of the Town penalty area.

Darren Bent made way for Dean Bowditch in the 70th minute and not long after Alan Mahon picked up a yellow card for a foul on Kamara.

Town went further ahead in the 79th minute when Dean Bowditch broke away down the left. The young striker cut inside and into the area and Kamara tripped him, the referee having no doubt that it was a penalty. Pablo Couñago was given the responsibility of taking the kick and sent the ball low to Banks' left, the keeper going the wrong way.

With eight minutes remaining Dean Holdsworth went into the book for a late challenge on Magilton. The former Bolton striker had come on only a minute or so earlier and had been roundly booed, largely due to his efforts in the play-off semi-final second leg in 1999/00.

On 88 Couñago had a shot deflected wide from 18 yards. From the corner Naylor's header was also deflected, this time over the bar.

In injury time Holdsworth had a header cleared off the line by Matt Richards from a corner.

An increasingly confident looking Town were rarely in trouble against a pacy but unimpressive Wimbledon. The Blues probably ought to have scored more than four with Alan Mahon's wing play was a big, big threat all afternoon.

Armstrong and Bent both impressed up front while Couñago will be pleased to have got off the mark for the season with the penalty. In central midfield the Bart-Williams/Magilton partnership was always in control while Jermaine Wright had one of his better afternoons.

Georges Santos once again showed why Grimsby fans thought so highly of him last season with an assured performance, belying his detractors. The Wimbledon goal was a mix-up, probably in the main caused by Santos and Naylor not having played at centre-half together previously.

Six points from two games and a chance to extend the winning run to four games with trips to Notts County in the Carling Cup and to lowly Watford in the league coming up next. The season appears to have started at last.

Town: Davis, Wilnis, Richards, Diallo (Naylor 18), Santos, Magilton, Bart-Williams, Wright, Mahon, Bent (Bowditch 70), Armstrong (Couñago 53).

Photo: Action Images

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