Danny Johnson back on scoresheet as play-off hopefuls Mansfield beat Wimbledon

Posted Sunday, March 05, 2023 by PA

Danny Johnson’s first goal since his recall from Walsall gave Mansfield a 3-1 win at AFC Wimbledon to keep them in the hunt for the League Two play-offs.

In-form striker Ali Al Hamadi struck first for Wimbledon in the 25th minute but Riley Harbottle quickly responded for the visitors.

Johnson’s bobbled finish just after the hour mark then put Town in front and Davis Keillor-Dunn ensured the victory which draws them level on points with Stockport in seventh.

Wimbledon drew first blood midway through the first half when Al Hamadi broke sharply from Alex Pearce’s long ball, drove into the box and fired under Scott Flinders for his fifth goal in four games.

But Mansfield hit back five minutes later, Harbottle poking home Stephen Quinn’s low cross from a short free-kick.

In the 65th minute, Al Hamadi passed up a great chance to shoot and Mansfield quickly countered with substitute Johnson, who returned to Town from his prolific spell with Walsall in the middle of January, scuffing his effort past Nik Tzanev and into the bottom corner.

The result was sealed 14 minutes from time when Keillor-Dunn cut inside and powered his third goal of the season beyond Tzanev.