The lowdown on Grimsby 0 AFC Wimbledon 1 – Dons secure play-off spot and set-up Notts County clash

AFC Wimbledon secured a League Two play-off spot with a 1-0 win at Grimsby on Saturday.

Sam Hutchinson scored the only goal of the game.

Here is Dave Hunt-Jackson’s lowdown on the match:

THE LINE-UPS

AFC Wimbledon: Goodman, Reeves (Hippolyte-90+1), Johnson, Tilley, Neufville, Smith, Stevens (Kelly-88), Browne (Bugiel-76), Harbottle, Lewis, Hutchinson. Subs not used: Ward, Maycock, Sasu, Ogundere

Grimsby Town: Eastwood, Green, Rodgers (Barrington-82), Obikwu, Svanporsson, McEachran, Warren (McJannet-69), Tharme, Khouri (Vernam-82), Rose, Hulme. Subs not used: Ainley, Wright, Cass, Burns.

SNAPSHOT OF THE GAME

AFC Wimbledon defied the odds and their alarming recent form to snatch a battling victory at Grimsby’s Blundell Park and grab a play-off place that sees them extend their season and keep promotion hopes alive.

Sam Hutchinson’s first goal for the South Londoners proved the difference in a nervy encounter while another clean sheet ensured that they took all three points and fifth place in the final table.

Having gone into the game with just ten points and eight goals from the previous ten games and against a side who needed to win to usurp the Dons’ play-off spot, this was likely to be a tall order for Johnnie Jackson’s side. 

They produced the sort of high tempo and committed display that has been lacking for some time and might have seen them promoted already had they reached these heights more often in the last third of the season. As it is, they go into the post-season with a result that gives them a little momentum and perhaps a little self-belief too.

TACTICAL APPROACH

Jackson, who was absent from the bench following his sending off against Port Vale, stuck with a front two, preferring Marcus Browne as Matty Stevens’ strike partner, with Omar Bugiel relegated to the bench.

Jake Reeves returned from his suspension at Callum Maycock’s expense. The Dons packed the midfield with ball winners, and Sam Hutchinson and Alistair Smith joined him in the centre.

Needing only a draw, Jackson was always going to look for a clean sheet first and foremost and the three central midfielders played no small part in achieving it. Whilst the front two were feeding on scraps Grimsby had only a glaring missed header from Danny Rose to show for their efforts as Wimbledon ran out surprisingly comfortable winners.

Even with a lead to defend, they defended further up the field than has been the case in recent games and looked more like the side of the first two-thirds of the season than the one that has struggled recently.

STAR MAN: Riley Harbottle. Rock solid at the back as he and his fellow back line kept the hosts’ goal threats to a minimum.

BEST MOMENT: Sam Hutchinson’s reaction as he celebrated a first goal in three years and his first for AFC Wimbledon.

MOAN OF THE MATCH: There was nothing to moan about in a fine win, but the amazing 1,146 Dons’ support must be wondering why this level of performance has been missing for much of the last third of the season.

A TALKING POINT DOWN THE PUB

With Walsall’s collapse in form, Notts County’s struggles and only seventh-placed Chesterfield in better form than AFC Wimbledon, could the Dons yet fill their potential and achieve the promotion that they arguably should have already completed. The boost to the coffers of the, hopefully, three extra fixtures would certainly not go amiss either.

WHAT THE MANAGER HAD TO SAY

“I’m so pleased for them. It’s just the start – we need to go and finish the job off. That will be our focus now.

“But coming here under massive pressure today against a direct rival that can leapfrog you, to produce what they did today, I’m so proud of them.

“To finish fifth is really good. We all would have loved to have been in that top three, but if you look at where we are as a football club and how far we have come, everyone would have accepted that fifth is a massive overachievement compared to our rivals.”

PICTURE: KEITH GILLARD