AFC Wimbledon boss Wally Downes: We were so close with chances against Millwall

BY MAX HALL

Wimbledon manager Wally Downes said “a hair’s breadth” separated his side from Championship visitors Millwall in today’s FA fifth-round defeat, but added there were no surprises in the nature of the winning goal.

“I was very pleased with our performance today,” said the Dons boss. “I thought on the day we were a match for Millwall and there was only a hair’s breadth, a set-piece, between us.

“We’ve itemised all week that Millwall are very strong on their set-plays and there were no surprises in what they did to us, but unfortunately we had a lapse and we got punished for it.”

The hosts’ failure to clear a corner saw Ryan Leonard cross for Murray Wallace to head home the only goal of the game after just five minutes. By that point, Wimbledon had already passed up a glorious chance to score when Joe Pigott volleyed a Shane McLoughlin centre onto the post with less than two minutes on the clock.

“If you’re playing a team from a division above you and you create a chance early on, you’ve got to take it,” added Downes. “Because you know they’re going to be very efficient in what they do; that if they get a chance, they’re going to punish you – which is exactly what happened.”

IMAGES BY KEITH GILLARD