AFC Wimbledon boss: I’m not dancing on the ceiling – but trophy win is a start for us

BY MAX HALL

AFC Wimbledon manager Neal Ardley did not beat around the bush when asked how last night’s EFL Trophy game was won against Stevenage.

“We scored our goals – from the first minute,” said the Dons boss, whose side recorded a first victory in eight by seeing off their League Two opponents, 4-0.

“We got a chance: good football, great through-ball, great movement; we got a chance – we scored it. 1-0. Then we waited for the next half opportunity and scored a half-chance, from a free-kick against the wall. 2-0.

“Then the game opens up and you get your chance to score more goals because the opposition has to come out. The goals after that, some were fortunate, some were good.

“But it starts from Kwesi [Appiah] to go in the first minute after I gave him a talk yesterday and said: ‘You have to start taking the clear-cut chances, you have to hit the target, you have to make the goalie work more’,” added Ardley of his striker, who hit the opener less than 20 seconds into the game. “He goes in, he stays calm, he does his job. If he doesn’t, it’s 0-0.

“I’m not going to dance from the ceiling because this game wasn’t the most crucial from the next three or four. But you have to start somewhere, and we’ve started.

“I know what I’ve got to do in the next few games and hopefully the players will carry on from today. Let’s see.”