AFC Wimbledon took a bold approach to EFL Cup tie at Arsenal – their run ended but they are still on an impressive journey under Mark Robinson

Mark Robinson’s Dons played their own game against Arsenal, a side littered with internationals and multi-million-pound signings. AFC Wimbledon refused to conform to the normality of sitting deep and trying to steal a result, and if they were going to cement their place in the next round, they wanted to earn it.

Mikel Arteta’s Gunners started the game in a manner that should have left the Dons breathless, though, with Arsenal’s forward line of Alexandre Lacazette, Gabriel Martinelli and Eddie Nketiah using their Premier League nous to trap Wimbledon deep into their own half.

It only took 10 minutes for the early onslaught to pay off, with the Dons conceding a goal that head coach Mark Robinson called “avoidable” after the game.

Martinelli enticed Nesta Guinness-Walker into a clumsy foul inside the area, handing Lacazette the chance to put the hosts in front from the spot. The Frenchman, who has 16 international caps and more than 125 Premier League appearances, sent Nik Tzanev the wrong way to make Wimbledon’s uphill battle even harder.

With more than 7,500 travelling Wimbledon fans spearheading their first half resurgence, Robinson’s side showed green shoots of rapid recovery and began quickly adapting to their natural style of play.

Their aerial presence, which played an vital role in their bright start to their League One campaign, saw Alex Woodyard have a shot at goal. At the same time, Ollie Palmer’s physical frame began to battle against Rob Holding and Pablo Mari.

There were a handful of hairy moments before the first half drew to a close. Tzanev palmed a high ball off his own crossbar and created a goalmouth scramble, and the home side had several shots from outside the box, but nothing clear cut.

Wimbledon showed signs of ambition to take the game to Arsenal again in the second half. But the difference between playing in the third tier and in front of 50,000 at the Emirates is that your passing must be precise, and your movement and decision-making must be at the highest level.

Too many times, the midfield duo of Woodyard and Anthony Hartigan were swarmed or forced to play a misplaced pass by the presence of Ainsley Maitland Niles, Thomas Partey or Sambi Lokonga.

Or when Ayoub Assal, who completed the second most dribbles of any player on the pitch with five, picked up the ball and drove towards goal, he had no support and was forced to return possession immediately back to Arsenal.

Robinson called upon his “finishers” quickly in the second half, with Aaron Pressley and Dapo Mebude coming on to try their luck against a tiring Arsenal defence that Palmer had battered and bruised.

Despite Pressley creating one moment of havoc and his mobility adding another dimension to the Dons’ attacking adventure,  though, Arsenal’s experience and know-how meant they confidently scuppered any Wimbledon advances.

Even in the second half, when the game was drifting further and further away from Wimbledon, the away fans stayed vocal to show their support for Robinson’s side. Their passionate noise drowned out the home support for the majority of the match.

Wimbledon continued to throw bodies on the line, make heroic challenges for every 50-50 and running the extra yard to try and claw their way back into the game, but nothing was falling in favour of the South-west Londoners.

The home side killed off the game in the final 15 minutes.

Arteta had the luxury of calling on two of the Premier League’s brightest prospects from his bench in the shape of Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka, with the former breaking Wimbledon’s steely resistance by tapping home from close range.

Eddie Nketiah confirmed Wimbledon’s exit just three minutes after Smith Rowe’s goal when he elegantly backheeled the ball inside the area past the helpless Tzanev.

In the end, Arsenal’s Premier League quality, experience and determination paid dividends. Arteta’s side, which boasted a host of internationals and world-class footballers scattered throughout, proved too challenging and stubborn for the Dons to break down.

This is only the beginning of Wimbledon’s journey under Robinson, and with their ambition, vision and desire to move away from the plucky stereotype of the club, Wednesday’s trip to the Emirates will be seen as a catalyst to inspire more nights like this one, but on a consistent basis.

For the big turnout who made the journey to north London and stayed to applaud the efforts of their players and coaching staff, this is just a palpable taste of something the club hopes to achieve more regularly.

The young side will learn a lot from the performance, occasion and opponent, and they will use that as a reminder for what they hope to achieve this season and for the rest of their long careers.

In just 33 games under Robinson, the Dons have fought their way back from the clutches of League Two, built a side that has become the early dark horse for promotion in League One, and spent a large majority of Wednesday’s game going toe-to-toe with Arsenal. The EFL Cup exit is nothing more than a symbol that epitomises the start of Robinson’s Wimbledon journey.