Four takeaways from Dons’ 2-0 win at Accrington Stanley – visitors handle conditions better than the hosts

AFC Wimbledon were 2-0 winners at Accrington Stanley last night with Luke McCormick and Ayoub Assal the goalscorers.

Here are Dave Hunt-Jackson’s four takeaways from the match at the Wham Stadium.

ASSAL REDISCOVERS SCORING TOUCH

It’s four goals in three games for the Dons young star who has rediscovered the eye for goal that made his a fans’ favourite after bursting on to the scene at the end of last season. As well as his well-taken effort he also was responsible for both yellow cards issued to the Accrington defence, who had no lawful answer to his pace and trickery. He and Ollie Palmer, who shared four goals at this ground last season, are developing a lethal partnership.

NIK TZANEV IS IN FINE FORM

In his first full season as Wimbledon’s first-choice keeper, Tzanev goes from strength to strength. With Will Nightingale and Paul Kalambayi still sidelined the pressure has heaped on the Kiwi shotstopper but he has not been found wanting. He can take great pride from a clean sheet in very difficult conditions and after 90 minutes of little threat from Stanley he then produced a couple of stunning saves to ensure the Dons goal was not breached.

WIMBLEDON HANDLE WEATHER BETTER THAN HOSTS

Aside from an anxious 10 minutes at the start of the second half it was the South Londoners who coped best with the stormy Lancashire conditions. It took Toby Savin in the Accrington goal most of the first half to adjust for the wind as goal kick after goal kick was blown sideways into the Dons supporters. When he did finally adjust he and drilled the ball into the opposite stand instead. His team-mates seemed unable to judge the ball in the blustery condition whereas Wimbledon were able, after they had a few anxious second-half minutes, to keep the ball on the floor and play their way through the home defence.

MARK ROBINSON MAY STRUGGLE TO KEEP SQUAD INTACT IN NEW YEAR

For many AFC Wimbledon fans the familiar talk over the Christmas fixtures has been about about where the team need to strengthen in order to climb out of or away from the drop zone. While they are still far from safe this campaign they have games in hand over the teams around them and are beginning to add some consistency to the promise they have shown all year. It may therefore be that this year’s talk will be about who might be going rather than bringing in new faces. With the likes of Anthony Hartigan, Jack Rudoni and Ayoub Assal grabbing the headlines there is likely to be plenty of interest from both League One and higher and given the state of the club’s finances it may be optimistic to assume that the South London side will be able to hang on to all there home grown talent.