What does Huddersfield Town loanee need to do to earn more minutes? Dons boss answers question

AFC Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson has challenged Kyle Hudlin to show him that he has got his team selection wrong when he comes off the bench in upcoming games.

Hudlin joined the Dons in the summer on a season-long loan from Championship side Huddersfield Town after Jack Rudoni completed his record move the other way.

The 6ft-nine forward, who came to the Dons with a fractured cheekbone and suffered a groin injury in his opening weeks at Plough Lane, has yet to start a League Two match under Jackson this season.

The 22-year-old only has 58 minutes of league football to his name from substitute appearances this season and has been kept on the bench for the past three games.

The former Charlton boss has started Josh Davison in every game this season and paired him with a strike partner of Ayoub Assal or Nathan Young-Coombes.

Hudlin has started both EFL Trophy games and scored in the 3-2 win over Crawley Town.

When asked by the South London Press what the loanee had to do to earn more minutes, Jackson said: “He’s got to keep working hard and training hard.

“Josh has got the shirt in that position. Josh is playing well – he’s doing a lot of work for the team.

“He has just got to bide his time. There are lots of games coming up, and there will be opportunities coming up that he will be needed for.

“Everyone wants to play. If he wasn’t asking what he needed to do or wondering if he wasn’t going to get games, I would be more concerned about that. He wants to play.

“When his opportunities come, when he does come off the bench, he needs to show me that I have got it wrong and he needs to be starting.”

The Dons picked up a win against Rochdale and followed it up by earning a point against Crewe. They head into this weekend’s game against Harrogate Town looking to go three unbeaten for the second time this season in League Two.

“We feel really positive,” added Jackson.

“We were low after the Sutton defeat. We had a really good week, and there were lots of positives on the training pitch.

“We got a good result at Rochdale, another point tonight, and another opportunity here on Saturday to have more points.

“It’s not an easy game on Saturday, but if we get a positive result on Saturday, it’s a good week.”

PICTURES: KEITH GILLARD