AFC Wimbledon v Walsall: Wombles’ wobble ended their play-off ambitions
AFC Wimbledon’s play-off race has officially come to an end, but they could still leapfrog Walsall in the final fixture at Plough Lane tomorrow afternoon.
The Wombles sit two places and three points behind Walsall in the League Two table, but maximum points would see them overtake Mat Sadler’s men due to their superior goal difference.
A dismal run of one win from their last seven games (drawing twice, losing four) has ultimately seen Wimbledon fall short in their quest to finish in the top seven.
They sat as high as second at the beginning of October after a run of just one defeat in their opening 11 games, which included a 3-1 victory over Walsall at Bescot in the reverse fixture.
The loss of Ali Al-Hamadi, who had notched 17 goals during the first half of the campaign, served as a major blow in January. His departure to Championship outfit Ipswich Town meant that the goalscoring onus rested heavily on Omar Bugiel’s shoulders.
The Berlin-born Lebanese international has helped fill the void with six goals since the turn of the year to extend his season tally to 10.
Conor Lemonheigh-Evans, who scored the opener in the corresponding fixture in September, was also recalled by Stockport County.
He was replaced by Ronan Curtis, with the ex-Portsmouth winger scoring four times since his January arrival to compensate for James Tilley’s remarkable slump in form.
Tilley netted seven times in his first eight league games this term, and had notched 12 in all competitions by the start of November.
But the 25-year-old has since gone 24 league matches without a goal.
