AFC Wimbledon gave themselves breathing space from the League One drop zone with victory over Gillingham.
Dominic Poleon’s sixth of the season and Dean Parrett’s first for the Dons from the spot were enough for a 2-0 win over the toothless Gills who finished with 10 men after the late sending off of substitute Rory Donnelly.
Here’s our reflections on the latest step forward for Dons in their League One journey.
A Clean Sheet
Shut-outs have been few and far between for Neal Ardley’s men since promotion and having conceded a stoppage-time equaliser at Coventry on Wednesday his team were pragmatic in their defence of a 2-0 half-time lead.
It wasn’t pretty but it was pretty effective, reducing a free-scoring side to a few hopeful pot-shots from distance.
Forward rotation works again
Ardley is making a habit of resting in-form strikers and benched Lyle Taylor despite last season’s leading scorer having found the net in successive games.
It’s a tactic which has raised a few eyebrows, but Ardley had the last laugh again as the man who replaced him, Dominic Poleon returned with a poacher’s goal to take his tally for the season to six.
Parrett breaks his duck
It’s all been a bit stop-start for former Tottenham man Dean Parrett since his summer arrival from Stevenage, but there were signs here he is settling in.
His penalty, coolly despatched late in the first half brought breathing space for his team and his delivery from set-pieces gave another dimension to Dons’ attacking threat.
Tom Beere – a nod to the future
Wimbledon have prided themselves on developing their own talent in recent years and trusted with his first start of the campaign Beere proved a solid presence alongside Jake Reeves in midfield, one surging first-half run in particular catching the eye.
With Ryan Sweeney having moved on to Stoke, Beere appears to be the most prominent of the academy crop and his continued progress will allow Ardley to manage the minutes of veteran Danny Bulman in the Wombles’ engine-room.
A Double Rainbow
Torrential rain at the end of the game heralded not one rainbow but two.
It’s just one defeat in eight for the Dons now, suggesting they are adjusting to the rarefied air of League one, so the symbol of promise seemed somehow appropriate.
