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Loan Round-Up: Tanner Joins Wimbledon

This week we've got news of a young striker joining a League Two side, found out he got on in his debut below. Elsewhere, Rob Dickie, Stuart Moore and Aaron Tshibola were also in action over the past week.

By TalkMurtyToMe
Ben Hoskins/Getty Images

Jon Henly - Welling United (Vanarama Conference Prem) Appearances: 14

The Wings' match at Gateshead last Saturday was, unfortunately, postponed after Gateshead won an FA Trophy replay in midweek. The new date is Tuesday March 10th at 19:45 and Henly's Welling side are next in action against Chester at home on Saturday.

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Rob Dickie/Stuart Moore - Basingstoke Town (Vanarama Conference South) Appearances: 7/30

Following last week's postponement of Town's game against Weston-Super-Mare, Rob and Stuart were back in action this week in a top of the table clash against Bromley. Both started the match as Town went ahead through McAuley in the first half but Bromley equalised midway through the half as the sides went in level at the break. In the second period, Bromley got what turned out to be the winner, as a long range effort from Cook somehow evaded Moore in the Town goal, and Bromley held on to take home all three points. Stuart was reported to have made one good save but flapped at a couple of early crosses and would have liked to have done better with the winner. Similarly, Rob was also said to have struggled to keep May under wraps, especially from set pieces. It's all a learning curve for our young loanees but Town slip to 5th.

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Aaron Tshibola - Hartlepool United (SkyBet League Two) Appearances: 4

Tshibola's 4th start of the season for Hartlepool saw his side face 21st-placed Tranmere Rovers, a game that, if United are to beat the drop, they'll feel they should be taking at least a point away from. Unfortunately, 12 minutes in, Kayode Odejayi opened the scoring for the hosts, steering a volley past Scott Flinders from Rory Donnelly's cross. But Hartlepool showed the resilience and fight that they will need if they are to stay in the Football League, as they were level just two minutes later as Scott Fenwick reacted quickest to a rebound after Owain Fon Williams had saved well from Michael Woods' effort. That's how it finished as United clawed back a point in the fight for survival, but they remain bottom, nine points adrift of safety.

Watch the highlights below as United's Tshibola battles hard in the build up to Hartlepool's equaliser:

After the game, Hartlepool manager Ronnie Moore spoke to the Hartlepool Mail about our young loanee.

He told SportMail that Tshibola is keen to stay and he was hoping for confirmation from Reading by last week.

Moore said:

"I have asked if we can let Tish stay here until the end of the season.

"The boy wants to play and hopefully we’ll get confirmation soon [from Reading] to say he is all right to stay with us."

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Craig Tanner - AFC Wimbledon (SkyBet League Two) Appearances: 1

Alongside last week's double signing was the news that young forward Craig Tanner had signed a new two and a half year contract with the club, and then immediately headed down to Wimbledon to join up with the club on a month's loan. He deputised in last week's game against Accrington Stanley and, by all accounts, Craig played a blinder! He started up front alongside Ade Akinfenwa. The club described him as being 'on fire' and said his debut was 'stunning' as he set up the opening, forcing a save from Stanley keeper Matt Macey, before Sean Rigg converted the rebound to give the 'Dons the lead. The points were made safe when Adebayo Azeez lifted the ball over Macey, before Stanley grabbed a consolation from close range through Adam Buxton. Wimbledon held on for all three points as they rise to 12th.

After his brilliant debut, Tanner insisted there was more to come from the young Reading forward.

He said:

"It’s always tough coming to a new place, and I’ve only been here for two days and I don’t yet know everyone’s name – so I am getting to know the lads.

"I am getting to know how they play, they need to get to know how I play, and it’s all about creating good partnerships – but overall, I am happy enough with how my debut went."

"There was the whole pressure of the debut and that can add an extra bit of fatigue into the game.
"I have not played for three weeks, so there is a lot more of me to come and hopefully I can show that to the fans."

The diminutive Tanner added:

"I am an unorthodox striker for League Two because I like to drop in the pocket on the half-turn, put in slide passes with intricate play with quick feet, which I managed to do in the corner a few times.

"It’s about how I can do that for the team and in a different style of league that I am not used to."

And Tanner's partnership with the 'Beast' Akinfenwa leaves Tanner looking forward to playing alongside Wimbledon's target man. Tanner’s first taste of playing alongside Akinfenwa has left him purring about what the future could hold.

He said:

"Bayo is cracking to play alongside, he’s always talking to you during the game, and you can to him too.

"He’ll do what you say – I can tell him to drop in if I’ve made a run in behind, and when a fellow striker does that, you’re already formulating a good partnership."

Craig also insisted he wouldn't have joined the 'Dons if he didn't believe a pay-off push was possible.

Tanner said:

"I believe we can get into the play-offs. I am an ambitious person and I wouldn’t come here if I didn’t think it was possible.

"I think we have the quality and the right set of players to push on and really challenge for a place, but to be honest as soon as I got the opportunity to come here on-loan I gobbled it up with two hands."

This week, I'll leave you with this image taken inside Wimbledon's dressing before Tanner's debut...

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