MATCH REPORT: Scunthorpe United - AFC Wimbledon (Sky Bet League Two)

Glanford Park, Matchday 25

Scunthorpe United Starting XI: Slocombe; Ribeiro, Howe, Waterfall, Dawson; Welsh, Sparrow (Collins 55’), McAllister, Esajas; Winnall (Iwelumo 65’), Hipperdinger (Akpa Akpro 72’)

Scunthorpe United Substitutes: Akpa Akpro, Nolan, Mirfin, Collins, Iwelumo, Severn, Hornsey

AFC Wimbledon Starting XI: Brown; Fuller, Antwi, Frampton, Kennedy; Porter, S. Moore, L. Moore, Sainte-Luce; Green (Bald), Green (Other)

AFC Wimbledon Substitutes: Worner, Arthur, Smith, Midson, Bamba, Pell, Sweeney

When the Dons hosted Scunthorpe early in the season for their first home league fixture at the new Wibbly Lane we said that it felt like a Must Win. Their trip to Glanford Park, at just past the halfway marker, also feels like a Must Win, but for different reasons. At the start of the second half of the season, Wimbledon sit twelve- twelve!- points clear at the top of League Two and having not lost a game in league competition. The Must Win, on this return leg, is not so much to ensure a successful season but to keep chugging on to an impressive- ultimately meaningless but still impressive- accomplishment: an Invincible season.

But to take that necessary next step, the Dons would have to pay the Iron Price. (Get it? Iron? Scunthorpe? Eh? No? I’ll see myself out.)

Right, so Wimbledon didn’t waste much time. Following a promising corner that ultimately came to nothing, the Dons laid siege to the box for a long five minutes. Scunthorpe’s backline held admirably but ultimately could not withstand the onslaught- on 17 minutes Other John Green sent a shot pass to his husband just inside the area, who took one touch, turned, another touch, and fired into the upper 90.

The rest of the first half, and most of the second, played out in typical Wimbledon fashion- the Dons held the ball, controlled the midfield, and defused the opposing attack before it could gather any steam. Scunthorpe threatened in the early part of the second half, culminating in a dangerous free kick on the flanks after a bad challenge from Kennedy, but couldn’t produce. The game seemed set to end once again at 1-0, and most Wimbly Wombly supporters would’ve been pleased with that. But Scunthorpe’s defenders had run out of gas ahead of schedule, and in the 88th minute Bald John Green sent a through ball to Other John Green who collected it on the edge of the box and slotted home for his league leading 18th goal of the season. Wimbledon seemed set on an emphatic win. But the clean sheet was ruined late in injury time when Iwelumo and Akpra Akpo combined to unzip Wimbledon’s back line, with the latter laying off to McAllister who dribbled past two defenders and Seb Brown to find the back of the net. It didn’t put the result in doubt- unlike the late concession against Crawley in the FA Cup- but it was another data point in what could be a very troubling trend for the side.

Nevertheless, Wimbledon left North Lincolnshire with three points in their inexorable march to their Invincible season and the League Two title. Scunthorpe, meanwhile, took a huge hit for their promotion ambitions, and will have to work hard to stay in the playoff conversation. We’ve reached the end of the grueling festive season and the table seems set for the latter half of the campaign. The name of the game now is composure- keep the head down, focus on the work, don’t get distracted.

Scunthorpe United 1-2 AFC Wimbledon

Scoreline: Bald Green (WIM) 17’, Other Green (WIM) 88’, McAllister (SCU) 90’+4

Discipline: Kennedy (WIM) 55’