Wycombe Wanderers 1-2 AFC Wimbledon

Lyle Taylor’s double breathed new life into AFC Wimbledon’s play-off bid as they beat fellow promotion contenders Wycombe at Adams Park.

An early opportunistic strike and a cool as you like penalty from the charismatic former Bournemouth striker took his tally for the season to 17 in what was surely a must win game for Neal Ardley’s side.

The winning margin might have been more as the Dons struck the woodwork twice and missed a number of chances before closing out only a second win in eight games.

The game exploded into life on 13 minutes when Tom Elliott slipped his marker and appeared to be upended by keeper Ryan Allsop. Penalty appeals were waved away, but Lyle Taylor followed up to score.

Wycombe boss Gareth Ainsworth remonstrated with the officials in the wake of the goal and there was a change of referee as Brendan Malone had injured a calf, so it was three minutes before play could restart.

It might have been 2-0 midway through the half when Rhys Murphy crashed an effort against the bar and Jon Meades also fired over after racing through as the visitors continued to hold sway.

Levller: Michael Harriman of Wycombe Wanderers scores

Wanderers had their own penalty shout waved away when Gary Thompson tangled with Darius Charles, before Taylor threatened again with a shot on the turn parried away by Allsop at full stretch.

As we ticked towards the interval, Jerell Sellars saw his shot deflected to safety off George Francomb, but the Wombles squandered a golden chance for a second in stoppage time when Murphy fired over with the goal gaping.

Play was scrappier immediately after the break, but the Dons continued to carry the threat and they rattled the bar again courtesy of Paul Robinson’s header from a left-wing corner.

Within a minute the visitors paid for their missed chances when Robinson’s made a hash of a clearing header at the other end and Michael Harriman swooped to fire a low shot past Kelle Roos from the edge of the box.

Parity lasted less than seven minutes however as Joe Jacobsen dragged Murphy to the floor. He escaped without a caution, but Taylor extracted full punishment when he sent Allsop the wrong way from the spot.

Wanderers mounted late pressure, but Sellars wasted a stoppage time free-kick as Dons claimed a big three points.

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