The lowdown on Walsall 1 AFC Wimbledon 1 – Dons let lead slip for second week running
BY DAVE-HUNT JACKSON
AFC Wimbledon threw away a winning position for the second Saturday running as they drew 1-1 with league leaders Walsall.
Here is Dave Hunt-Jackson’s lowdown on the match.
THE LINE-UPS
AFC Wimbledon: Goodman, Reeves, Johnson, Tilley, Maycock (Ball, 92), Neufville, Smith, Stevens (Bugiel, 65), Browne (Sasu, 76), Harbottle (Ogundere, 77), Lewis.
Subs not used: Ward, Kelly, Foyo.
Walsall: Hornby, Gordon, McEntee, Lakin (Hall, 66), Matt, (Amantchi, 74) Asimwere, Allen, Jellis (Weir, 83), Stirk, Okagbue, Johnson (Adomah, 74).
Subs not used:Simkin, Danielsi, Comlry,
SNAPSHOT OF THE GAME
A largely forgettable game burst into life as Omar Bugiel slotted the visitors in front with just 20 minutes left only for the same old frailties to cost his side two precious points.
That should have been that as Walsall had offered very little by way of a goal threat, but instead Wimbledon spent the rest of the half defending deeper and deeper, and as a result, conceded a free-kick on the edge of the area from which Taylor Allen despatched.
The only surprise was that Walsall scored just once in the last 10 minutes, but that was more about their own form issues than anything the South Londoners did, as they dropped out of the automatic promotion places with a form that is unlikely to secure even a play-off spot, with most of their rivals winning.
TACTICAL APPROACH
Jackson preferred Riley Harbottle to Issac Ogundere with the former making his first start since the beginning of 2025 at Newport.
Omar Bugiel remained on the bench, with Marcus Browne starting again.
Harbottle spent most of the game playing so far upfield that the defence was in effect a back two of Joe Lewis and Ryan Johnson, with Jake Reeves just in front of them.
Yet again, the Dons were architects of their own downfall as they retreated too deep and invited their opponents to attack them at will. Barrow had accepted that very invitation just a week earlier, and so had Carlisle, halving the deficit a week before that.
The tactic appeared to be very ambitious until they grabbed the lead and then became ultra-defensive.
As so often before the latter undid all the good work of the former as boom turned to bust.
STAR MAN
Joe Lewis. Immense display once again winning almost everything in the air and on the ground with his pace saving his side more than once.
BEST MOMENT
Omar Bugiel’s fine strike to give his side the lead.
MOAN OF THE MATCH
Another poor refereeing display, with both Jake Reeves and Aaron Sasu yellow carded when they were, if anything, the victims of fouls by their hosts.
A TALKING POINT DOWN THE PUB
Wimbledon have not finished a season well since Mark Robinson steered them to League One safety in 2021.
This season, automatic promotion is fast disappearing out of sight, and even a play-off place looks far from guaranteed. Ten points and three blown leads from the last nine games is very far from good enough and nowhere near promotion form.
Can he buck the trend and turn things round to get the best out of the strongest squad the Dons have had in years, or will the fans have to ready themselves for potentially three more games at the end of the season?
WHAT THE BOSS HAD TO SAY