The Lounge

[liamwimbo]

Another three points to keep the Dons bandwagon rolling along. Sounds like it was a scrappy game due to the conditions, but also a deserved win. And well done to the fans for making up such a large contingent of the crowd. Now comes the time that games start coming thick and fast. A healthy return from the next 3 games should see the Dons in a play off spot with  games in hand. The lack of cover at centre half is a bit of a concern, but Sweeney seems to have done well so far. Just need to avoid injuries and we should be in for an exciting finish to the season.

[onyadon]

We sometimes whinge about the Dons being unlucky. It was the opposite against Carlisle. Wimbledon had a big break when their GK Gillespie was sent off just after HT for bringing down Tom Elliott. The reserve keeper Hanford’s first task was to face Taylor’s FK and Paul Robinson bundled home the rebound to put Dons ahead. But 10-man Carlisle made it a very uncomfortable night from that fortuitous incident and our back four (including 18yo Ryan Sweeney) and GK Roooooooos were the busier than their counterparts. Carlisle hit the woodwork twice and the Dons fans whistles at the end indicated the anxiety pervading KM. But it’s Wimbledon’s 7th win out of 8 games (laudable) and moves them up to 5th and inside the play-off spots. Next up is bogey team Oxford United at home, with the Dons chasing their 1st win over them in 12 attempts. Still, at the start of the season we would take a promotion challenge at this stage of the season and with a crucial clutch of games coming up to show our true mettle.

[Colum]

51 points post Carlisle. Does that mean we’re safe from relegation?

Full credit to the lads. They were made to work hard for the win. If Carlisle had a Ryan Taylor in their ranks, we may have lost comfortably. Their shooting was pretty awful.

[Colum]

Can we win against our bogey team? You’d have to say “No”, but if we could sneak a result….well that would be extra special considering what is at stake.

[onyadon]

The way I look at the coming crunch.. if we’re good enough we won’t crash and burn against bogey teams Oxford, Northampton and Accy. If we do what we have done against them in past, we won’t be good enough, simple as. Still fair play to Ardley for getting the squad into position to have a decent crack at promotion. No doubt, the squad is much improved on last season.. how much improved we’ll know in the coming few weeks.

[Windlesham Don]

Good summary, Rob. I feel that in the last two games we have shown a side to our game that has not been present in past seasons. Against Barnet we toughed it out against difficult opposition on their patch. We controlled the game and once again with more clinical finishing we would have been out of sight before the nervous last 5 minutes. Last night was completely different. To be honest we were off our game and were out muscled all over the park by an impressive Carlisle side. But we hung in there, took our chance when it presented itself and did not crumble in the face of intense pressure – remember what happened at the start of the season against Cambridge? We have grown as a squad.

The next four fixtures are all horrendously difficult, but we as supporters need to remember that our season is unlikely to be decided by the results obtained against Northampton, Oxford and Accrington. The following fixture against Bristol Rovers may be more important.

I feel we need 74 points in total to ensure a playoff berth and 23 from the final 15 should not be beyond us as long as injuries are kind and confidence remains high.

COYD!

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