AFC Wimbledon are pitch-perfect as Stevens treble sinks sorry Carlisle

AFC Wimbledon (3) 4 Stevens 8, 39, 50 Harper OG 45+3

Carlisle United (0) 0

No wonder they missed home so much.

After three weeks of waiting in the wings and playing away while Plough Lane recovered from its flood, the Dons returned to their favourite patch of turf to duly rack up a fourth league win out of four on home soil.

They seized control early on through Matt Stevens and proceeded to swamp a very feeble Carlisle side, who may well find themselves fighting to retain league status if today's evidence is anything to go by.

Stevens helped himself to a hat-trick, taking his season's tally to six. He might have had more.

Wimbledon have ground to make up in the table after having two home games called off, but they look in the mood to do that quickly. And although fans missed out on a glamour home tie against Newcastle because of the pitch issues, it now looks a minor issue after everyone rallied to get the surface back up to scratch and made the ground available once more.

Of course it had to rain at kick-off. And heavily. All that good work to get the Cherry Red stadium match-fit again threatened to be put to the test. Mercifully, the lashing rain relented and those sturdy boots on the ground did not cause any more damage.

After last month's downpours and high water table of the Wandle caused one corner of the pitch to be churned up to resemble a golf course, the Wombles and their patient fans had to wait for the chance to see their heroes back in action in SW17. But they did not have to wait long to get that happy feeling back.

Stevens peeled off at the back of a goalmouth scrum at a corner and his header managed to find its way past keeper Harry Lewis into the bottom corner and the Dons were on their way.

James Tilley claimed the assist from the flag kick and almost got on the scoresheet himself with a curled free-kick before getting around a defender to power in a dangerous low cross for another good home opportunity.

After a delay in proceedings when the ref needed replacing because of cramp, Stevens set Omar Bugiel through for another chance that the striker skied over after getting the better of his marker.

A second goal really did only look a matter of time and when Alistair Smith - a lively, bustling presence in midfield - skipped a challenge to fire low from distance, Lewis could only palm his save invitingly for Stevens to crash the rebound home his second.

And the points were as good as in the bag when another inswinging Tilley corner found its way into the net after encountering a jumble of limbs at the near post and cannoning in off defender Cameron Harper.

Sorry Carlisle made two changes at the interval but it made no difference. In the Dons' first real attack after the break, Tilley provided again with a beautifully weighted ball from the right to a criminally unmarked Stevens, who had the easiest of tasks to complete his treble - sending in a header from close range.

It's Notts County away next for Johnnie Jackson's men. But fans will already be looking forward to their team's next home game - Morecambe are here Tuesday week.

Dons: (3-5-2) Goodman - Ogundere (Johnson 90), Ball, Harbottle - Neufville (Biler 76), Maycock, Smith, Hippolyte (Furlong 90), Tilley - Bugiel (Pigott 72), Stevens (Kelly 72)

Carlisle: (3-4-3) Lewis - Lavelle, Barclay, Mellish - Davies (Robinson h/t), Neal, Biggins, Harper - Vela (Charters 64), Wyke (Armstrong h/t), Sadi (Guy 64)

Attendance: 8,431