Mark Bowen admits Wimbledon are in last-chance saloon after draw with Wycombe - 7M sport

Mark Bowen admits Wimbledon are in last-chance saloon after draw with Wycombe



Posted Tuesday, April 19, 2022 by PA

Mark Bowen admits Wimbledon are in last-chance saloon after draw with Wycombe

AFC Wimbledon manager Mark Bowen accepts his team have to win both their remaining fixtures to stay up, after their long run without a victory was extended by a 1-1 draw against Wycombe.

The Dons led for an hour at Plough Lane, but just when a first win since December 7 was coming into sight, Adebayo Akinfenwa, who turns 40 next month, denied his old club with a late equaliser.

His goal kept the Chairboys in the League One play-off places, but it also ensured Wimbledon remain four points adrift of safety with their winless streak now stretching to 25 league games.

Bowen said: “I haven’t looked at the maths of it, but certainly we’ve got to go and beat Fleetwood next week.

“I don’t want to say the wrong thing here, but if we draw with Fleetwood and games go in our favour, we may still have a chance.

“The first thing is we’ve got to go to Fleetwood and win a game, which has been too long coming, with the quality we’ve got there, but I’m a big believer in fate.

“I’m a glass half-full man and this club is due, maybe, with the run they’ve been on. I thought today was going to be the day.

“Perhaps if they get a little bit of good luck at times in games, then that will make all the difference, but we’ve got to give ourselves every chance to go and get that result at Fleetwood next week.”

Wimbledon took the lead after 21 minutes when Ayoub Assal laid the ball back for captain Alex Woodyard and his shot was diverted in off the head of Jack Rudoni.

The Dons held out until the 80th minute when Sullay Kaikai’s ball across the area gave fellow substitute Akinfenwa a simple header at the back post.

Wycombe boss Gareth Ainsworth said of Akinfenwa: “He keeps delivering. I think he’s in better shape than he was in the Championship last year.

“Because Uche [Ikpeazu] was injured for so long, I had to play him so much at the start of the season and we really wrecked his body, and he couldn’t recover.

“This season, with his cameo roles, we had a real solid chat yesterday about what he can do from now until the end of the season and how he wants to impact this team.

“Goals like today, with the two substitutes combining, was a nice moment for me, but I really think we could have had one or two more.

“We snapped and snatched at the target at the wrong times and just a couple of details could have been better today.

“I got stuff wrong as well, we’re in it together, now let’s go and beat Sheffield Wednesday at home.”

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