AFC Wimbledon taking no shortcuts as they prepare for FA Cup tie at Weymouth

Johnnie Jackson has confirmed he will be putting out a strong AFC Wimbledon side to take on Weymouth in Saturday’s FA Cup first round tie.

The Dons travel to the Bob Lucas Stadium on the back of a four-game unbeaten run, picking up seven points from a possible nine in League Two and finishing top of their EFL Trophy group after a 1-1 draw with Portsmouth.

Weymouth have only won one game in the National League South this season and are bottom of the table with five points, but Bobby Wilkinson’s side had to beat Winchester City and Welling United to reach this stage of the FA Cup.

The Dons were knocked out of the cup at the third-round stage last season under Mark Robinson, losing 2-0 to National League side Boreham Wood.

“We will be approaching the game really seriously,” Jackson told the South London Press.

“Any team I put out there, I would expect to win the game. We won’t be taking Weymouth lightly.

“We will be putting out a strong squad and trying to get through to the next round.

“We’ll be strong, that’s for sure.”

Jackson named a side with an average age of 21.1 years old against Danny Cowley’s Portsmouth on Tuesday evening, with youngsters Luke Jenkins, Kwaku Frimpong, Quaine Bartley, Alfie Bendle and Huseyin Biler all starting.

Pompey had the likes of Ryan Tunnicliffe, Joe Pigott, Michael Morrison and Wales international Joe Morrell in their starting line-up.

The Dons, who were already through, picked up the point they needed to top the group after an equaliser through Ayoub Assal.

“I was really proud,” said Jackson. “It was a really young team against a really experienced Pompey team. When we saw their teamsheet come through, we knew what a test it would be for our young boys.

“I’m really pleased with how they performed. We more than matched them, and in the second half, we looked like the side that could go on and win the game.

“The academy has done great work in recent years – they have produced a lot of players.

“With the way that we do it with our system, sending them on loan to get the experience of senior football as early as they can really benefits the boys.

“As a manager, it gives you a little bit more trust, when they have been out to play senior football, that you can throw them in at League Two level.

“But some of them will still benefit from those loans and going away to play regular football. That way, we can keep tabs on them to see when and how they are ready to come back with us.

“It’s really positive signs from what I saw against Portsmouth.”

PICTURES: LUCY DIXON