AFC Wimbledon end wait in 2019 for League One win – and it is perfect tonic ahead of FA Cup clash
AFC WIMBLEDON 1
Seddon 48
BY DAVE HUNT
JACKSON AT THE BANKS’S STADIUM
AFC Wimbledon finally grabbed their first League One win of the calendar year with a relatively comfortable win over fellow strugglers Walsall on Tuesday night.
Dons boss Wally Downes made six changes, perhaps reflecting his anger at the manner of the defeat at home to Burton Albion at the weekend.
Michael Folivi and Shane McLoughlin earned their first starts as the side switched to three central defenders with Toby Sibbick and man-of-the-match Steve Seddon as wing-backs.
The most heartening thing for the 163 travelling fans was the form of the debutants, as well as that of Seddon.
All three were signed by Downes in the January window and produced stand-out displays.
This will surely raise the belief that the new management will be able to further improve the squad in the summer, regardless of which league the South Londoners find themselves in.
Seddon capped a fine display with the winning goal and was excellent throughout at both ends of the pitch.
McLoughlin never stopped running, aided and abetted in midfield by the restored Anthony Hartigan and Anthony Wordsworth.
Although they did not create that many clear-cut chances, they did force home keeper Liam Roberts into a couple of fine saves – in particular from a Wordsworth free-kick and from Fovoli.
Joe Pigott could, and perhaps should, have doubled the visitors’ advantage but his effort came back out off the inside of the post.
Walsall provided little goal threat although they were a danger with some of their challenges. It would have seen their numbers reduced had the game had a better referee than Chris Sarginson.
It was at this venue last season that the Dons came from two goals down to grab three points and build a momentum that eventually saw them secure League One survival.
The win leaves Wimbledon seven points from safety with games running out and tougher challenges than that posed by a poor Walsall side ahead.
It does however give the side confidence going into tomorrow’s FA Cup fifth round clash with Millwall and beyond into what’s left of the league campaign.
Downes bemoaned a lack of consistency which has dogged his stewardship and the Dons can afford very few more poor performances if they are to survive.
Although relegation still seems almost inevitable, this performance at least gives the fans food for thought and cause for very cautions optimism.
AFC Wimbledon (3-5-2): Ramsdale 7, Seddon 8, Oshilaja 7, Nightingale 7, McDonald 7, Sibbick 6 (Thomas 76), Hartigan 8, McLoughlin 8, Wordsworth 7, Pigott 7 (Pinnock 66, 6), Folivi 8. Not used: McDonnell, Wagstaff, Garratt, Barcham, Soares.
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