AFC Wimbledon struggle to create in Hull City loss – but officious reffing also a factor in outcome
BY LAURENCE LOWNE
One key concern for AFC Wimbledon head coach Mark Robinson will be that Joe Pigott had little to feed on in Saturday’s 3-0 home loss to Hull City on Saturday.
Robinson was honest in his post-match summation of the performance – not up to expected standards.
The course of the game was changed by the officious Craig Hicks, who gave Hull two penalties. While they were the better side the scoreline did flatter them and without the generosity of the referee a draw might have been on the cards. Wimbledon dominated possession but lacked that cutting edge to score themselves.
The first penalty came about from a fine through ball, and the visiting Hull player fell to the ground under a challenge from Darnell Thomas. Watching the video later, it appeared to be a shoulder-to-shoulder challenge, but in light of what happens in the Premier League, perhaps some referees are keen to point to the spot too quickly. Would a free kick have been awarded elsewhere on the pitch? You can decide.
The penalty was dispatched by Josh Magennis on 24 minutes.
An almost identical run off the ball and fine pass between centre-backs, should have seen Hull double their lead, but on this occasion having rounded the keeper, the resultant shot went wide.
The second goal came from a free-kick that confused the whole defence.
A soft goal, which many would suggest could have been dealt with better by goalkeeper Sam Walker, since it appeared to bobble around the defence without anyone taking charge and dealing with it. There were plenty of defenders, but simply a soft poke by the visiting central defender Reece Burke who will remember it for a long time on his 100th league appearance for Hull.
That came in the 43rd minute and meant another goal conceded just before half time – that certainly changed the way that the coaching staff addressed their views to the players during the interval.
The third goal, in the 64th minute, was another penalty and also controversial as Wimbledon captain Alex Woodyard thought he was fouled and expected a free-kick, only for the referee to point to the spot. His protest led to a yellow card. This time Malik Wilks did the job. It is still unclear how the referee or his assistant could see anything but a free-kick for the home team.
Too often the referee was a good 20 yards away from the play, and whether he was relying on his assistant for assistance is unclear. They are wired for communication and maybe his assistant did see a foul? Supporters will never know.
No further goals and after a spate of substitutions Wimbledon once again dominated forcing a couple of quality saves. In particular Cheye Alexander was unlucky not to score a consolation in the final few minutes with his shot deflected for a corner. Jaaki Oksanen also had a shot from just outside the box saved.
The Dons must regroup now for two challenging games on the road this week at Shrewsbury tonight and Blackpool. Neither will be easy and Robinson will be focused on ensuring his team plays with conviction in both matches and look to keep their concentration throughout. Hopefully either game will see a return to play for Ollie Palmer, since the team is in need of extra firepower up front.
STAR MAN
Sean McLoughlin. Purely on his ability to beat a man as a second half substitution.
BEST MOMENT
Cheye Alexander’s rasping shot across goal, which was deflected wide.
PHOTOS: KEITH GILLARD
