Mentality is key – Dons head coach on his side needing to love taking the lead

Mark Robinson has explained how he wants his AFC Wimbledon side to start loving being ahead in games again after they had to settle for another draw last weekend against League One promotion hopefuls Sunderland.

The Dons took the lead in the 20th minute when Luke McCormick converted a penalty, but Wimbledon picked up their seventh draw from their previous 12 League One outings when Alex Pritchard scored a free kick from distance to level the game in the 35th minute.

Robinson’s side have taken the lead in six of those 12 games but failed to turn their goal advantage into all three points.

“So much of this game is about mentality – it’s such a massive aspect,” Robinson told to the South London Press when asked how he plans to get his side to enjoy being in front in games again.

“We were talking today and saying that there are 19 games this season that we haven’t lost in.

“We have drawn far too many of those 19, but if someone had offered the fans 19 games out of 31 where you haven’t lost, they would have thought it sounded like a good return.

“But, fundamentally, we have drawn too many games. All of those have been by small margins, but your past doesn’t dictate your future – you have to learn from the past, but you can’t let it dictate the future.

“It’s a lot healthier if you say: ‘There are 19 games this season where we haven’t lost we have 15 games left, and there is absolutely no reason, if we’re at our very, very best, why we couldn’t go on a fantastic run.’

“There is no reason not to believe that, as we’re an extremely competitive side, and everything shows that.

“The mindset of the players is absolutely key. It’s getting them to focus on what we’re capable of, rather than what has happened, as the margins in football are so tiny.”

PICTURE: KEITH GILLARD