Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson hails team’s belief as winning home run continues

Posted Sunday, December 10, 2023 by PA

AFC Wimbledon manager Johnnie Jackson feels he is reaping the benefits of keeping faith with his players after they continued their fine recent home form with a 4-0 win over Swindon.

The Dons have now won their last six games at Plough Lane, scoring 22 goals in the process, and that run has lifted them up to seventh in League Two and earned them a place in the third round of the FA Cup.

It is quite a turnaround for a team who struggled for results on their own patch in the previous two seasons, but Jackson believes his players always had it in them to go on such a streak.

He said: “I got asked a lot about the home form, but my answer always was, ‘I think we’re playing well’.

“It’s just the results weren’t quite coming and you can do two things – you can try and change what you’re doing or you can believe in what you’re doing, you continue to put the level of performance in and the results will naturally come, and that’s what we’ve done.

“We carried on the work that we’re doing, we doubled down, we worked harder and the lads believe in themselves.

“We spoke a lot about trying to start fast, building on the momentum that we’ve created here.

“Going into the game, we’d won five on the bounce here and it’s become a really difficult place for opponents.

“We wanted to make it uncomfortable for Swindon in the opening exchanges.”

Flying out of the traps brought reward for Wimbledon after just six minutes when Omar Bugiel turned in Joe Lewis’ cross from close range.

The hosts really pressed on after doubling their lead in the 59th minute through a stunning long-range strike into the top corner by Armani Little.

Dons top-scorer Ali Al-Hamadi then took advantage of the widening gaps in Swindon’s defence by producing two clinical finishes in the closing stages.

Swindon boss Michael Flynn lamented his side’s frailty at the back, saying: “We were very poor defensively and I don’t mean just the defenders.

“We’ve conceded 40 goals now in the league, which is way too much – some teams will go through the season probably conceding that many.

“We’ve got to improve and I’ve got to improve in that area, which is what I’ll be looking to do.

“The second goal, they don’t even sense there’s danger from the free-kick, everybody’s switched off.

“The first goal shouldn’t have been allowed because there were two down with a head injury for over 10-15 seconds and the fourth official was telling the referee.

“It’s a diabolical decision for him to play on there because it’s the safety of the players, but we weren’t good enough today and that was only one goal.”