Ghana striker Kwesi Appiah scores to rescue Wimbledon from embarrassing defeat

Ghana striker Kwesi Appiah scored for AFC Wimbledon in a friendly on Friday night to rescue the English third tier side from an embarrassing defeat against Alderhost Town.

Joe McDonnell pulled off a string of great saves on a miserably wet night at Aldershot Town which proved a good test for a young Wimbledon side.

Will Nightingale, Paul Robinson, Liam Trotter, Dean Parrett and Kwesi Appiah added experience to a youthful Dons starting line-up at the EBB Stadium, against National League opposition, as the former Basingstoke keeper kept the Shots at bay in a 1-1 draw.

However, it took just 54 seconds for Aldershot to open up the Dons with a quick, flowing move that Bobby Joe-Taylor drove low across McDonnell for the opener.

Seconds later the home side went close again as the Dons made the worse possible start.

Three minutes later though, Appiah saved Wimbledon's blushes from a potentially embarrassing score line as he fired in from close range to level the scores.

After nine minutes, the Dons could have taken the lead when the ball dropped to Jayden Antwi who had the chance for his second senior goal after his great strike against Burton last Friday, but on this occasion he put the ball over.

Neset Bellikli then produced a good save from distance out of former Dons loanee Jake Cole in the Shots goal.