AFC Wimbledon 2 Oldham Athletic 2 – nervy fortnight in wait for Dons as they fail to retain leads

By Anthony Scales at the Cherry Red Records Stadium

Wimbledon twice surrendered the lead in their relegation six-pointer at home to Oldham to ensure a nervy final fortnight to the League One season, and it could have been worse with the Latics’ on-loan Wolves man Duckens Nazon going close to completing his hat-trick late on.

It was the visitors who threatened first, Dons keeper George Long doing well to deny Craig Davies in the ninth minute.

The importance of that stop was illustrated when Jon Meades fired the hosts ahead within seconds. A Dean Parrett corner from the left was cleared only as far as the Wimbledon left-back, whose powerful shot deflected off one of the ruck of bodies in front of him to deceive Oldham keeper Johny Placide.

Wimbledon had a scare in the 28^th minute when Dan Gardner’s corner from the left was flicked on by Anthony Gerrard at the near post and zipped along the face of goal, eluding everyone, including Long.

The physically imposing visitors made their bulk count six minutes into the second half, when central defenders Gerrard and George Edmundson trundled up from the back and distracted the Dons defence at an Ousmane Fane long-throw that reached Nazon to the left of goal, and the winger drove in a low effort through a crowd of bodies and past Long.

Impressive half-time substitute Jack Byrne sent a dipping effort wide of the diving Long and his right-hand post in the 63^rd as Oldham turned the screw, but the Dons were back in front in the 68^th minute, within seconds of a double substitution by manager Neal Ardley. Meades, pushed up into midfield, received a ball in from the left, took out two markers with a wonderful piece of skill to the left of goal and pulled the ball back to the unmarked Joe Pigott, who side-footed home from the edge of the area.

The Latics were back on terms within six minutes, courtesy of a well-struck effort from Nazon, who was afforded time to set himself outside the area and rifle it low past the diving Long.

And the Dons had another hearts-in-mouths moment two minutes from time, when Nazon’s close-range effort was somehow scrambled behind from Oldham substitute Aaron Amadi-Holloway’s knock-down.

Photos by Paul Edwards.