AFC Wimbledon boss Glyn Hodges gives verdict on Dons’ League One start

BY NICK KITUNO

Glyn Hodges has been left ruing the points AFC Wimbledon have dropped this season but remains pleased with how they have put themselves in positions to win.

The Dons’ unbeaten start to their League One campaign ended after Accrington Stanley fought back from a goal down to win.

It comes after they were twice pegged back in a 2-2 draw with Northampton Town, before surrendering a two-goal lead in a thrilling 4-4 draw at home with Plymouth Argyle.

Wimbledon then secured a stunning 1-0 victory away to Fleetwood Town, only to then see Stanley score twice in five minutes to erase their slender lead in a 2-1 win.

After the Stanley defeat, Hodges said: “We didn’t create enough clear-cut chances. We went 1-0 up and were quite comfortable and then they had a mad three or four minutes, where we didn’t see that coming, and then you’re coming in at half-time when you know you’ve got a mountain to climb.

“Second half we huffed and puffed, we tried to change it up and try and get a bit of creativity in there, and apart from Shane [McLoughlin] hitting the post, I didn’t think we did enough of that.

“I think we just lacked a bit of concentration. We didn’t defend the set-piece as we had been doing, and that’s a poor goal, and then the second one is even worse from our point of view.

“We always look to stop people scoring, or stop people countering us, and we didn’t do that for that split-second, but apart from that [the performance] was all right. A lot of good stuff.”

Wimbledon have collected five points from their opening four league games and now sit 12th in the table.

The Stanley defeat is their first of the season and ended a six-match unbeaten run which began during last season’s pandemic-shortened campaigned.

Asked about the Dons’ start to the season, Hodges added: “I’m happy, not really, when you think [about the fact] we’ve dropped points at home. Two points in the last home game and three today, so there is five points dropped, but, overall, I’m happy with the fact that we’re playing decent and we’re putting ourselves in an opportunity to win those games.

“We haven’t got anything today, points-wise, and we should have won the game against Plymouth, but if you can go to Fleetwood and win then there’s no reason why we can’t pick up points home or away.

“I’m not happy with the points haul because we could have had more, but I’m happy with the performances that we could have given ourselves chances to get those points. If that makes sense.”

PICTURES: KEITH GILLARD