Deflated Neal Ardley reckoned his AFC Wimbledon team could have played an extra 30 minutes and still not scored at Northampton Town on Saturday.

The Dons boss admitted his side were second best all over the pitch as former Womble Kaid Mohamed and an Alex Nicholls strike condemned Wimbledon to defeat.

Ardley didn’t hold back in his assessment of the performance at Sixfields and felt sorry for the travelling supporters on a dismal day for the men from Kingsmeadow.

He told Dons Player: “We could’ve been out there for another half an hour and we wouldn’t have scored. I asked them at half time to come together as a team and solve the problems from the first half, but they didn’t really do it. We started so poorly and got outworked.

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“We were second best all over the pitch. They worked harder than us and wanted it more. I know that will be hard for our travelling fans to take because it’s not the Wimbledon way. It’s not what we should be about. But I can assure our fans that it’s just as hard for me to take.

“I don’t set my team out to play like that and with that sort of mentality. It was really frustrating during the first-half when you are watching that because it was as poor as we have played for a long time. There were so many things to try and change and I cannot tell you how disappointed I am with the performance.”

Frankie Sutherland, who joined the Dons on loan last week from QPR , made his debut in the second half at Northampton but was unable to help inspire a comeback. Wimbledon’s next fixture is a tricky FA Cup first round tie with York City.