MATCH REPORT: AFC Wimbledon - Cheltenham Town (Sky Bet League Two)

Wibbly Lane, Matchday 7

Referee: Ian Lowcroft

AFC Wimbledon Starting XI: Worner; Fuller, Bennett, Frampton, Kennedy; Porter, Francomb (Sweeney 70’), S. Moore, L. Moore (Bamba 70’); Green (Bald), Green (Other) [c] (Midson 70’)

AFC Wimbledon Substitutes: Brown, Sainte-Luce, Weston, Midson, Sweeney, Bamba, Sheringham

Cheltenham Town Starting XI: Roberts; Jombati, Elliott, Brown, Jones, McGlashan; Penn (Taylor 77’), Richards, Vincent; Rasic, Gornell (Cureton 70’)

Cheltenham Town Substitutes: Braham-Barrett, Deering, Lowe, Taylor, Harrison, Dale, Cureton

In a league competition, potential champions find ways to win even when they’re not playing well.

AFC Wimbledon did not play well.

Chalk it up to the rain. Or possibly fatigue. Maybe it was the unusually quiet home crowd. Whatever the reason, the Wimbly Womblys didn’t play with the pressing swagger that has characterized their campaign so far. It’s unrealistic to expect them, or any squad, to be at 100% for every game (despite the shouty platitudes common in dressing room team talks). The thing that separates champions from the rest of the table is how they cope with diminished swerve. “Is your 70% better than their 100%?”

Tonight, Wimbledon’s 70% was better than Cheltenham’s 100%. Despite a disorganized midfield, sloppy passing, and several offsides calls, Wimbledon managed to stymie Cheltenham’s attack and keep a clean sheet on the night. The Robins came close to pulling ahead in the 25th minute when a cross from Gornell found Vincent unmarked in the box, who uncorked a furious header from 10 yards out that was just barely parried by Worner. (The resultant corner came to nothing.) For their part, Wimbledon was limp in their attacking third, with their wing play causing little worry and their work on set pieces noticeably stale. They did tally in first half stoppage time (somewhat against the run of play) when a short low cross from Other John Green met his husband who skimmed along a slip-and-slide pitch and poked the ball home.

The second half was much like the weather- dreary. The conditions on the pitch precluded any kind of chippy play, but you have the sense that neither side had that kind of fire in them tonight. At times it seemed as if both teams were playing six in the back- neither side able to penetrate too deeply, and neither side feeling all that concerned about it. There were moments of promising forward movement from both teams, but neither seemed all too interested in finishing. Wimbledon was content to grab an ugly three points; Cheltenham was content to let them have them, so long as they could just get out of the rain.

This was a plodding, unattractive game. It wasn’t all too dissimilar from any mid-week evening game in the rain in England, but given the high-flying form of the past few games one could be forgiven for expecting something else. If the first six fixtures inspired visions of a sunny Saturday afternoon at the Bernabeu, tonight was spending a cold Wednesday night away at Stoke. The important thing, however, is that Wimbledon took all three points when a draw would have been more appropriate. They’ve now collected full points from the first seven matches and remain top of the league. (Of course, it’s still too early to look at the table. Do not look at the table. It’s not safe. And while you’re at it, do not go to the Dog Park.) While several pointed questions remain about this Wimbledon side, a key question- can they win games they don’t deserve to?- was perhaps answered tonight.

AFC Wimbledon 1-0 Cheltenham Town

Scoreline: Bald Green (WIM) 45’

Discipline: n/a