AFC Wimbledon 0-0 Wycombe Wanderers

Dons dented promotion hopes of 10-man Wycombe - with Bayo Akinfenwa cursing the carpentry after he hit a post in the first half.

The Chairboys lost Matt Bloomfield, Nico Yennaris and Sam Saunders to injury before seeing Aaron Pierre sent off late on, and their plight was worsened by the early loss of Bloomfield after an accidental collision with teammate Peter Murphy.

The injury aside, it was a slow start and it needed Akinfenwa to spark the game into life on 17 minutes rising highest to power a header against the far post from Sean Rigg's excellent cross.

In the thick of it: Sean Rigg

'The Beast' was needed at the other end 90 seconds later to head clear from Saunders' deliciously delivered left-wing corner.

Brentford loanee Saunders then lashed a presentable chance well off target after a good raid down the right as the visitors attempted to impose their passing game on Dons.

Nevertheless, it was AFC who were close to an opener again on 37 minutes when Matt Ingram made a hash of attempts to punch away George Francomb's corner from the left and was perhaps fortunate referee Trevor Kettle's whistle brought a halt to the goalmouth scramble which followed.

More trouble followed for the Chairboys as Yennaris left stunned by an earlier collision with Marcus Bean became their second player forced off before the interval with a bout of concussion.

Denied: Craig Tanner

The disruption allowed Dons to finish the half strongly and Ingram needed to recover well to foil Craig Tanner after making a mess of an initial clearance from the feet of the onrushing Adebayo Azeez.

Dons did find the net two minutes after the restart, Tanner heading in Akinfenwa's flick on from Barry Fuller's cross, but celebrations were cut short with the striker penalised for a push.

Tempers rose when Wimbledon's Rigg and Pierre were booked. Ingram suffered another scare just after the hour as he spilt a Tanner cross and needed help from his defence to clear the danger.

Dons were now in charge and were close again when Akinfenwa stooped bravely to head just wide from a Fuller cross with Ingram struggling once more.

Sub: Tom Beere (C) challenges

Dons boss Neal Ardley made a triple swap with eight minutes of normal time remaining, Tom Beere, Ben Harrison and David Fitzpatrick replacing Francomb and Rigg and Tanner respectively

Fitzpatrick made an immediate impact with a driven cross from the right which hit defender Bean, forcing Ingram into the best save of the game.

The drama of the day wasn't over though as with three minutes left Pierre, picked up a second yellow for barging over Fitzpatrick.

Five minutes of stoppage-time were signalled, but Dons could make the extra man count.