Johnnie Jackson pleased with point in Harrogate draw as AFC Wimbledon stay in play-off hunt

AFC Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson believes the point from their 1-1 draw at home to Harrogate on Good Friday could be valuable in their hunt to secure a play-off place.

Harrogate took the lead after seven minutes when George Thomson drove down the left-hand side and squared the ball for Matty Daly to squeeze a shot beyond Alex Bass.

The Dons equalised in the 58th minute when Ronan Curtis landed on the ball after a Jake Reeves free-kick and lashed an effort from just outside the goal past James Belshaw.

Curtis, just three minutes after bringing the scoreline level, was sent off for a foul on Levi Sutton.

“It’s not a disappointing point in terms of what the lads produced in the second half and the way we went for it – even when we had 10.

“It’s a good point in that respect. We have climbed a place in the league and it’s another one on the total.

“It’s a mad year this year. It might be a valuable point, but we wanted all three. When we get the equaliser – we showed what we did with the 10 – they’re hanging on at the end there.

“If we had the extra man, perhaps we would get the winner.

“I’m really pleased with the efforts in a game we could have lost. 

“To come back and get something from the game was pleasing.”

The Dons moved up eighth in the League Two table – a point away from the top seven.

Ninth-placed Crawley, who have two games in hand over the Dons, lost 2-0 at Doncaster.

The ex-Charlton boss added: “It’s five huge games left. It was six before today and it’s now five.

“What I know is if we show what we have shown in the second half, we’re a match for anyone and that’s how we need to approach it.

“We’re going to need wins – draws aren’t going to be enough to get us where we want to get to.

“Everybody else stutters as well, so it might turn out to be a really good point.”

PICTURES: KEITH GILLARD