Dons boss Jackson accuses Mansfield midfielder of going down like he “has been shot”

AFC Wimbledon manager Johnnie Jackson accused Mansfield midfielder Stephen Quinn of going down as if he had “been shot” following a coming together with Chris Gunter, which resulted in the Welsh defender being sent off in Tuesday’s 5-2 defeat.

The South Londoners took the lead through Josh Davison’s powerful strike just four minutes into the encounter at Field Mill. The ex-Charlton striker doubled his tally in the 16th minute.

Mansfield were awarded a penalty in the 31st minute when Jack Currie brought down George Lapslie, and Rhys Oates converted the penalty past Nik Tzanev to spark the comeback.

Lapslie then got on the scoresheet eight minutes later when he turned Jordan Bowery’s cross into the net. Second-half goals from George Maris, Riley Harbottle and

Will Swan condemned the Dons to their first defeat of the League Two season.

“We’re always disappointed to lose and to concede so many goals,” Jackson told the Dons’ official website. “It was a difficult evening. We started so well – scored two really good goals and looked really comfortable and really good.

“We were a real threat on the break, and we have allowed them back into the game. They’re a good side – they were always going to react to going behind.

“They grew back into the game in the first half. When they scored the two goals, you’re thinking ‘Get in at 2-2, tweak a few things and have a good chat with the lads and come out for the second half’. But the sending off changes the whole complexion of the game. From then on, it became very difficult, and we have gone on to concede more goals, which is disappointing. It’s a tough one to take.

Gunter will start his three-game suspension at Crawley Town tomorrow, referee Ben Speedie viewing his tussle with Quinn as violent conduct. Jackson said: “It doesn’t sit well with me. My player is on the floor having made a good tackle, and he gets the ball kicked in his face while he is on the floor.

“The natural instinct is to react, and I don’t think there was anything malicious in the action – just a bit of a coming together. There wasn’t any head [movement] or anything in there.

“Their guy goes down as if he has been shot, and then my man gets sent off. I guess that’s football, you can’t react, but I don’t like that element of it.”

Saturday’s trip to the Broadfield Stadium is the Dons first league visit to the West Sussex club since August 2015, when Adebayo Akinfenwa and Andy Barcham scored in a 2-1 win .

PICTURE: KEITH GILLARD