AFC Wimbledon manager Neal Ardley wants his team to get into the habit of winning ugly after watching his team edge out Dagenham & Redbridge.
It was the kind of gritty performance that Wimbledon have so often failed to deliver consistently and the boss wants his boys to learn to put more 1-0 wins on the board.
He said: “I told the players there's 15 games a season where you'll play ok and it's how many points can you pick up in those. It's not a bad habit to get into: playing ok and winning.
“It's a marathon and everyone has a sticky spell. Early in the season we had a couple of games here where we were a bit off it but since then it's only been Wycombe and Northampton.
“I don't think we're too far away. We're trying to get a run together.
"These are tough games. You worry and I'm on the bench thinking we could do with a second just to put the game to bed. We didn't and then they bring on two forwards. We started to get a little bit light in the midfield area so we brought on Sammy and Ade on.
"Coxy works hard on the back four and I asked the boys for tempo and energy and they gave me everything.
"Yes we can play better, it was a bit scrappy but we've played ok and we've won 1-0. Too often we've played well, like at Bristol in midweek, and not got anything. That's not such a good habit to get into.”
Wimbledon now face a quick turnaround as York City come to Kingsmeadow on Tuesday night for an FA Cup replay.
The winner will play Wycombe Wanderers in round two.
