Four takeaways from AFC Wimbledon’s 1-0 loss at home to Barrow – Maghoma nullified as Assal’s impact changes the attacking intent

A 10th-minute strike from Josh Gordon gave Barrow all three points on Saturday, with Wimbledon suffering their second defeat in League Two under Johnnie Jackson.

Here are Edmund Brack’s takeaways from Plough Lane:

PROFESSIONAL BARROW SHUT DONS OUT

Although Johnnie Jackson’s side mainly dominated Saturday’s game – having the majority of possession and clear-cut chances – Barrow’s rigid structure and gameplan made Wimbledon’s afternoon a frustrating one.

Wimbledon had a flurry of chances to find an equaliser after Josh Gordon buried Ben Whitfield’s cross past Nik Tzanev with Barrow’s second attempt – but they were unable to punish the visitors when they were most vulnerable.

Josh Davison, who once again worked tirelessly and battled his way through the first half to try and create an opening, played a cross to the back post in the 24th minute that was begging to be tapped in. But on the slide, Ethan Chislett was just inches away from being able to turn the chance into the back of the net.

The Dons felt flat in the first half – they were missing a conduit between the midfield and attacking force. The wing-backs failed to maraud forward and turn the front two into an attacking four

MAGHOMA MARKED OUT OF THE GAME

The Dons were struggling to create anything of note after Chislett went close. However, it was a credit to Barrow’s ability to deny one of Wimbledon’s brightest creative sparks from this season, Paris Maghoma, any time or space to break the lines with his pinpoint passing range.

Any time the Brentford loanee received the ball in his own half, he was swarmed by two of the Bluebirds’ midfielders, who chose to let Wimbledon’s three centre-halves carry the ball forward and dictate the play rather than the 21-year-old Maghoma.

Pearce, who had 115 passes, and Brown, 131, the most of any player on the pitch, were afforded time and space by Barrow, but they were unable to pick out a killer pass.

ASSAL’S INTRODUCTION CHANGED THE INTENT

Wimbledon’s directness and purpose in their play changed once Ayoub Assal replaced Chislett in the 57th minute.

The England U20 trainee has proved a real handful at League Two level, and it was no surprise to see him at the centre of trying to carve a way for Wimbledon to get back into the game in the second half.

Wimbledon’s shots towards goal doubled during Assal’s 33 minutes on the pitch. And he nearly pulled one back for the Dons but had one goal disallowed for suspected handball and got his angles all wrong in the final stages.

While Jackson has to find a way of fitting Assal, Josh Davison and Young-Coombes into the same side, it highlights the depth of quality and options at his disposal – it would have been unthinkable last season not to have started a League One game without Assal.

TUESDAY PRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET PLAYERS UP TO SPEED

While new signing Harry Pell played a role on Saturday and Paul Osew was called upon to replace the injured Jack Currie for the second half, it was clear both were lacking vital match fitness and sharpness.

Pell went close in the second half when he headed Nathan Young-Coombes’ cross just wide of Paul Farman’s goal, but it was noticeable that he had only played a total of 47 minutes of this campaign before joining the Dons.

He brought a considerable presence in the midfield and demonstrated his box-to-box abilities during his 33 minutes on the pitch, but with his match sharpness at 100 per cent, you would have backed Pell to score the chance he had on Saturday.

Despite having played against Brentford’s B team in a behind-closed-doors friendly during the week, Saturday’s 45 minutes was Paul Osew’s first taste of senior football this season.

So Tuesday’s EFL Trophy game against Aston Villa’s U21s will give Osew and Pell a chance to build up their sharpness and fitness ahead of next Saturday’s trip to Stockport. Pell will be needed to replace the suspended Maghoma, too.

PICTURES: LUCY DIXON