Dominant Dons dreaming of more after creating history at the expense of Milton Keynes

AFC Wimbledon (1) 3 Hippolyte 11’, Maycock 90’, 90+7’

Milton Keynes (0) 0

AFC Wimbledon added another piece of history to an already impressive collection on Saturday by beating Milton Keynes on consecutive occasions for the very first time, and they hardly could have done it in more convincing fashion.

The Dons overwhelmed their visitors in a blistering start to the game at Plough Lane, with the only possible complaint from the home faithful being it took until the final minutes for the victory to be sealed.

MK were one of the teams that reached the play-offs at Wimbledon’s expense last season, but this win temporarily moved Johnnie Jackson’s side top of the League Two table.

“Our ultimate objective is bigger than just today,” Jackson said following the win. “It’s a good result and performance but we think we can be better. We’re always striving for improvement so we’re not going to pat ourselves on the back and think we’ve cracked something.”

It took an injury-time goal for the Dons to win this fixture in March but their superiority was clear from the very first whistle in the late summer sunshine.

Jackson realised the visitors’ backline would be so pre-occupied by keeping possession among themselves that inconveniences like winning headers or competing for second balls would be beyond them.

In a brutal beginning to the game, it seemed as though every pass, cross or clearance played into the MK half was either won by a Wimbledon player or allowed to bounce into acres of dangerous space.

Goalkeeper Tom McGill bailed out his defenders after barely five minutes when he saved brilliantly as Myles Hyppolyte tried to find the bottom corner from the edge of the box, but he was a central figure in the chaos that allowed Wimbledon to take the lead.

After yet another pass upfield had been allowed to bounce, Omar Bugiel was bundled over and as the defence continued to panic, McGill picked up the ball after it had played back to him by a team-mate.

Hippolyte stepped up to thump the indirect free-kick that followed into the net and give Plough Lane a trial run of the rapture that would later follow.

“I wanted the boys to compete, run, block, tackle and fight for everything without going overboard,” Jackson explained. “I knew they’d be up for it, and you know the crowd will be up for it. When you win a header or a tackle it gets the crowd up a bit more and it energises the players and the team. That gave us the platform to win the game.”

The game settled by the half hour but there was still little to suggest that MK would turn their possession into genuine control of the game.

An overhit Laurence Maguire cross had to be pushed away by Owen Goodman but the away side finished the first half having almost 70 percent possession without a shot at goal to show for it.

It was impossible for them not to improve after the break. Wimbledon began to tire, meaning the ball spent longer in their half, yet an equaliser never began to feel inevitable.

Joe Tomlinson had Milton Keynes’ best chance, looping a header onto the outside of the post from a Callum Tripp cross.

That was as close as they came though. The aggressive pressing of Jackson’s side gave way to determined defending of the penalty area and for all MK’s continued dominance of the ball, goalkeeper Goodman was well protected.

With the visitors thoroughly out of ideas by the closing stages, substitute Joe Pigott was left in enough space to escape down the right, and although strike partner Josh Kelly could not connect with his cross, Callum Maycock arrived at the perfect time to smash into the net.

Jackson’s substitutes continued to probe in 10 minutes of stoppage time, with a neat turn in the box by Kelly met by Maycock in the right place at the right time once again.

“It’s a different time in a different season with a different group but we’ve started the season well,” said the Dons boss when comparing this win to the previous one against MK. “Start is the important word. Nothing’s been achieved but you’d like to be where we are. We’ll enjoy it while it lasts.”

The win against MK earlier this year helped to salvage an ailing season. This one could be the start of the next chapter in the remarkable Wimbledon book of records.

Wimbledon: Goodman; Neufville, Harbottle, Lewis, Ogundere, Tilley (Furlong 79’); Reeves (Maycock 56’), Hippolyte, Smith (Ball 79’); Stevens (Kelly 72’), Bugiel (Pigott 72’). Subs not used: Ward, O’Toole.

Milton Keynes: McGill; Nemane (Harrison 84’), Tripp, Offord, Maguire, Tomlinson; Lemonheigh-Evans, Kelly; Leigh, Gilbey (White 72’); Hendry (Finch 72’). Subs not used: Harness, Tucker, Williams, Wearne.