AFC Wimbledon manager heaps praise on Josh Davison after winner against Harrogate
AFC Wimbledon attacker Josh Davison was not having the greatest of weeks after missing a penalty that could have given the Dons a much-needed win against Crewe Alexandra last Tuesday.
However, in a matter of just a few days, the youngster has redeemed himself, scoring a dramatic late winner against Harrogate Town in a 3-2 win at Plough Lane on Saturday.
Anyone else still on a high after that one?
Let us know who your Man of the Match was in the comments ⭐️ ⬇️ #AFCW 🟡🔵 pic.twitter.com/OCjRD7iQp9
— AFC Wimbledon (@AFCWimbledon) October 30, 2022
After Davidson helped his side rise to 15th in the League Two table, Wimbledon manager Johnnie Jackson could not stress enough the importance of the 23-year-old to his squad. “Josh gives us legs and energy at the top end of the pitch and when we manage to utilise it well, we look a threat all the time,” Jackson said.
“When you have someone like that in your team, you can’t turn down the opportunity to play that forward pass to smart areas at the right time because we know we have a smart runner there who can make things difficult for the opposition defence,” the former Tottenham Hotspur and Charlton Athletic midfielder said.
Davison arrived at Plough Lane in July this year after wearing the colours of Charlton, just like his current manager. The forward has since netted six goals for Wimbledon in 16 league appearances and has become a key member of Jackson’s squad as they look to bounce back after relegation from League One.
After the win, Jackson also spoke about how the missed penalty had not affected Davison’s confidence. “Davison is someone who strikes a ball well and if we had gotten a penalty against Harrogate, he would step up and have no issues taking it,” the Wimbledon manager said.
“He was disappointed in a way after the miss, but strikers who take penalties are going to miss some. Even the best do. That’s part of the game. And everything the team does – be it mistakes or the good things – it’s all collective and never about one individual.”
The comeback win against Harrogate means Wimbledon have collected seven points from three games now and Jackson believes his players have turned a corner. “The turning point I think came with that 1-0 defeat to Sutton United,” he said.
“It was a low moment. We did not deserve to lose that game. We were disappointed and we used it as a reset to see where we could go from there.”
“There has been an upturn in performance in recent matches. We found a slightly different way to go about it. I think we’re playing a bit more direct – forward balls to forward runners to take the pressure off our defenders and put that pressure on the opposition defenders,” Jackson added.
One group game remaining….all to play for! 👀#EFL | #PapaJohnsTrophy pic.twitter.com/GK6rC7Gtre
— Papa Johns Trophy (@PapaJohnsTrophy) October 20, 2022
Wimbledon will now travel to Portsmouth for their final Papa Johns Trophy group fixture on Tuesday before an FA Cup first round match against Weymouth on Saturday. “The game against Pompey will be an opportunity for some lads to get more minutes as we are already through in the group,” the manager said.
“Then we have a massive FA Cup game against Weymouth. The competition is very important for this football club and I am really looking forward to a good game.”
