Four takeaways as Dons draw 1-1 with Burton – inexperience leads to opener but hosts rediscover their fighting spirit

AFC Wimbledon ended their three-game losing streak after Luke McCormick scored a 90th-minute equaliser to earn Mark Robinson’s side a point. The Dons handed Kane Hemmings the opener after the Burton forward capitalised on a rushed backpass to give the visitors the lead.

Robinson made three changes to the side that lost 3-0 to Rotherham on Tuesday evening with Ayoub Assal, Cheye Alexander and Anthony Hartigan coming in for George Marsh, Paul Osew and Ethan Chislett.

Here are Edmund Brack’s four takeaways from Plough Lane:

THE DONS MISSED CHANCES BUT STAYED PERSISTENT

The home side had a flurry of chances in the second half where they should have taken the lead at Plough Lane.

Jack Rudoni, who studied clips of Cristiano Ronaldo during pre-season as he searched to develop his instinct for goals, gambled at the back post from Ben Heneghan’s header back into the box. But the academy graduate hammered his shot from five yards out over the South London Movers Stand.

Just moments later, the Dons were presented with another opportunity to take the lead.

Aaron Pressley robbed the ball away from Deji Oshilaja’s feet and drove towards goal. The Scottish forward, who had a plethora of options to choose from, played through Alex Woodyard inside the area, which would prove to be the wrong choice as the captain’s cross back into the danger zone evaded every blue shirt.

Burton’s opener seemed to rekindle Wimbledon’s fighting spirit from the beginning of the season, with the Dons throwing everything at their search for an equaliser. Their constant pressure finally paid off in the 90th minute when Luke McCormick fired home from close range to hand Robinson’s side a well-deserved point.

INEXPERIENCE LEADS TO OPENER

The Dons were left to rue their missed chances after they gifted Kane Hemmings the opportunity to open the scoring.

Despite being largely on top in the game, controlling the tempo and having the majority of possession and attacking impetus, Wimbledon gave Burton the easiest opportunity to take the lead.

A misplaced backpass to Nik Tzanev allowed Hemmings to pounce and slot the ball unmarked into the far left-hand corner.

PRESSLEY’S ADAPTING TO MEN’S FOOTBALL

In the absence of Ollie Palmer, whose hold-up play is such a key role in Wimbledon’s attacking advances, Aaron Pressley has taken on the role of the lone targetman.

Although Pressley was starting only his eighth game in professional football, the 19-year-old is showing glimmers of gaining the intelligent game nous that you need in League One.

The on-loan Brentford forward, who was battling a flat back five in the first half, won nine aerial battles and showed his defensive contribution by making two clearances from goalmouth scrambles.

Pressley nearly brought Robinson’s side level in the 84th minute, but his chance went straight at Garratt. The forward was rewarded for his hard work when he assisted McCormick to score the equaliser.

HARTIGAN CENTRAL TO EVERYTHING

If the Dons were going to make a first-half breakthrough, their most likely source would come from one of Anthony Hartigan’s pinpoint passes.

The 21-year-old’s stylish passing range looked to break free one of Assal or Pressley constantly in the first half, with the midfielder central to everything and having the most first-half passes of any Wimbledon player. However, on the two times the Dons escaped the Burton defence, Assal was flagged for offside when he was through one-on-one with Ben Garratt.

The midfielder was inches away from handing the Dons the lead in the 46th minute when his shot from the edge of the area whistled past the post.

Hartigan made the most passes, won the most tackles and had nearly double the touches, 96, of any other Wimbledon player.