AFC Wimbledon 1-5 Swindon Town – The Dons’ poor form continues after heavy defeat
AFC Wimbledon’s poor form continued as they fell to a 5-1 thumping against Swindon Town this afternoon.
The result leaves the Dons 20th in the table but mathematically safe as 23rd-placed Hartlepool lost 2-0 to relegation rivals Crawley.
The win for Swindon meant they ended the day tenth.
It was a good day out for their 1191 travelling supporters.
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A lively first half saw the ball hit the back of the net four times.
Goals from Luke Jepchott and Jacob Wakeling cancelled out Aaron Pierre’s opener.
Tom Clayton added to Swindon’s tally, making it 5-1 in the second half.
Substitute Rowan Darcy cemented Wimbledon’s misery late on from the penalty spot.
Pierre was sent off for conceding the pen after handling the ball.
The game started brightly, with both sides unable to convert early chances.
Wimbledon opened the scoring after eight minutes through an Aaron Pierre header.
The Granadan international leapt highest at the back post to nod home Ethan Chislett’s cross.
Swindon responded quickly and levelled the scoring in the 16th minute from the penalty spot.
The referee pointed to the spot after Marcel Lavernier hit the deck.
Jepchott converted the spot kick, sending Nik Tzarnev the wrong way.
Swindon turned the game on its head only seconds later as Jacob Wakeling made it 2-1.
The winger found himself completely free at the back post, meeting Remeao Hutton’s cross, and arrowed a header into the far right corner.
It’s a sequence Wimbledon fans are becoming far too familiar with, as the Dons completely lost composure after taking an early lead.
Hutton picked up a yellow card in the 28th minute for a foul on Diallan Jaiyesimi.
Jepchott made it 3-1 for Swindon following a calamitous pass from Tzanev.
The Robins broke from a Wimbledon corner after Sam Pearson completely misjudged a clearance.
Swindon messed up the breakaway as an overhit pass went straight to Don’s keeper.
However, the keeper messed up his pass out from the back, giving it straight to Jepchott, who calmly slotted home.
Wimbledon did get a small foothold back in the game towards the end of the first half but didn’t convert it into any goals.
Harry Pell replaced Sam Pearson at the start of the second half, to immediate effect.
The Dons had all of the ball in the first ten minutes of the second half and should’ve pulled one back when Al-Hamadi went through one on one.
The Iraq international took one touch too many, and Sol Bryan was able to collect and hold on to the ball.
A touchline altercation that saw Johnnie Jackson get unintentionally barged into ended with Saidou Khan and Ethan Chislett receiving yellow cards.
Despite the Don’s possession, Swindon added to their lead as Clayton headed in for 4-1.
Hutton had far too much time to put in the cross, and the defender was completely free on the penalty spot, looping his header over Tzarnev.
A long-range strike from Diallang Jaiyesimi provided the best moment for the Dons in the closing stages.
His shot thundered off the crossbar.
Swindon made it five through a late penalty from Darcy.
Pierre blocked the ball with his arm after Darcy had rounded Tzarnev in goal.
Darcy placed the ball into the bottom left corner sending the keeper the wrong way.
The game petered out after that as Wimbledon succumbed to another defeat after taking the lead.
With one win in 17 games, and 38 goals conceded from winning positions, the end of the season can’t come soon enough for the Dons.
