‘Made a good opposition look very ordinary’ – AFC Wimbledon boss delighted as Matty Stevens hat-trick secures 4-0 win over Carlisle
Johnnie Jackson said his AFC Wimbledon side made Carlisle look ordinary as they comprehensively recorded a 4-0 win on Saturday afternoon.
The Dons took the lead after seven minutes when James Tilley swung in a corner and Matty Stevens headed past Harry Lewis.
Stevens scored his second of the afternoon in the 38th minute when Alistair Smith took aim from distance and Lewis pushed the ball into the path of the former Forest Green striker to double his tally.
Wimbledon made it three before half-time when Tilley’s corner caused chaos inside the Carlisle penalty area and the ball was turned over the line by Cameron Harper.
Jackson’s side scored their fourth and wrapped up the game at the start of the second half when Tilley whipped the ball back into the box after his corner was cleared and Stevens snuck between the Carlise defence to net his hat-trick.
“We can’t get too much better than that,” said Jackson.
“We maybe could have had a few more goals, but we have scored four and kept a clean sheet.
“The all-round performance – with and without the ball – was outstanding.
“We have made a good opposition look very ordinary today. We’re strong here [at Plough Lane].
“We’re a tough team to play against. We spoke about making this place like that. When we first came back here as a club, we didn’t have that. Now we do.”
Wimbledon, who have three games in hand, moved up to 10th in League Two and five points away from table-toppers Port Vale.
“It was important that we won today,” said Jackson.
“What you don’t want to do is fall right behind and look at those games in hand and say: ‘If we get X amount, then we’re there.’
“If we can stay in and around it and still have those games in hand, then it puts us in a really strong position.
“When those games come around, we have to make sure we’re ready to take them.
“I don’t care about anyone else – we know we’re a good team.”
PICTURES: KYLE ANDREWS
