Neal Ardley admits the form book doesn’t make great reading for AFC Wimbledon fans but reckons a look at the club’s matchday statistics paints a much brighter picture.

Ardley was nominated for League Two manager of the month in February after the Dons performed superbly to climb into play-off contention.

They remain in the top seven despite Tuesday night’s 3-1 reverse at Bristol Rovers making it for games without a victory for the promotion hopefuls.

A workmanlike Morecambe represent their next challenge on Saturday but they will have to do without Bayo Akinfenwa following his red card at the Memorial Stadium.

Tom Elliott is struggling to make the squad with a hamstring complaint, Connor Smith is definitely ruled but George Francomb returns after recovering from a dead leg.

Ardley told Dons Player: “A while back we won seven out of eight and got ourselves into a great position.

Banned for Morecambe: Bayo Akinfenwa

“Now we have lost two out of four, but if you look at the performances against Oxford, Northampton and certainly the other night, they have been decent.

“We have been punished by the top teams to a degree when we’ve not got things right. Maybe that’s the difference, but I want the players to believe they can beat the top teams.

“We are certainly out-performing these teams in the stats, but we just need to tidy up at both ends of the pitch and the players will do that.

“We are more than capable of getting what we need, regardless of Saturday’s result, and we go there in good spirits.”

Morecambe go into the fixture fresher than the Dons having had a midweek rest after their 1-1 draw with Crawley last Saturday.

Question -1 of 15 Score -0 of 0
Which club are known as the Cod Army?