League Two football again for the Dons next season as Stevenage loss kills off already faded play-off hopes

Tuesday night’s 3-2 defeat at home to Stevenage has all but confirmed that AFC Wimbledon fans will be mapping their routes to Walsall and Grimsby once again for next season.

Considering the South Londoners’ squad is decimated by injuries – highlighted by the fact boss Johnnie Jackson could only name five substitutes out of a possible seven – Ali Al-Hamadi got the Dons off to the perfect start at Plough Lane.

Forest Green Rovers loanee Armani Little picked the ball up in the 39th minute on the left-hand touchline, cut back on to his right foot, and floated an inch-perfect ball towards the back post for the ex-Wycombe forward to bundle past Toby Savin.

But Steve Evans rolled the dice early on in the second half, switching tactics and personnel to get his Stevenage side, second in League Two, back into the game.

Substitute Jake Forster-Caskey, who nearly signed for the Dons in the summer on loan from Charlton, drew the visitors level after his quick thinking from a corner situation caught the Wimbledon defence napping.

Forster-Caskey came short, drew two players towards him, and crossed to the unmarked Carl Piergianni to head Stevenage level.

The Dons let Stevenage take the lead six minutes later. A poorly-worked set-piece routine led to Alex Gilbey breaking towards goal and Luke Norris’ shot, which Nik Tzanev had saved, rebounded off Kasey McAteer and rolled into the net.

Ali-Al Hamadi equalised for Jackson’s side with 15 minutes remaining, but more sloppy set-piece defending saw Norris left unmarked at the back post from a Dan Sweeney free-kick. The Stevenage forward made no mistake with his drilled effort from just in front of goal to kill off any hopes of a League One away day at Fratton Park or The Valley next season for the Dons.

Jackson was right in his post-match assessment – Wimbledon gave away three unnecessary goals and allowed Stevenage to secure three points in a game that could have been out of sight in the first half.

Alex Pearce’s injury, which has kept the ex-Millwall skipper sidelined for the last two outings, has seen the defensive solidity that the Dons had become renowned for completely crumble.

Tzanev’s goal was breached just once after Pearce was brought back into the side and asked to start six games in succession after Ryley Towler was plucked from his loan spell and sold to Portsmouth.

But in the 210 minutes of football the Dons have played without the

34-year-old Pearce, forced off in the 60th minute against Hartlepool, they have conceded seven goals.

After a summer rebuild began to click into place after the 1-0 defeat at home to Sutton in October, which saw Jackson’s side ascend the League Two table and record a 10-game unbeaten run in all competitions, the Dons were forced to rebuild once again in the January window.

Despite the bulk of the January signings being known quantities – players who have featured in League One – injuries have hamstrung the side from fully gelling, with Huseyin Biler, Harry Pell, Jack Currie, Diallang Jaiyesimi and now Lee Brown all sidelined.

Just one win in 10 and a depleted squad has diminished any hopes of a day out at Wembley and a place back in League One next season.

But there is one piece of the puzzle which looks to have been a shrewd piece of business, with our paper understanding the Dons secured Ali Al-Hamadi from Wycombe on a free transfer in January.

The 21-year-old has quickly settled into life in League Two – scoring four in his last three outings – and could be a crucial element to the side for any potential promotion push next season.

STAR MAN
Ali Al-Hamadi. A constant threat.

BEST MOMENT
George Marsh’s clever pass to set up Kasey McAteer to assist for Al-Hamadi’s second.

PICTURE: LUCY DIXON