Several first-teamers will tomorrow be handed game-time for AFC Wimbledon's development squad against Portsmouth (1.00 pm kick-off at Gosport Borough FC).
With a busy run of games in February, Neal Ardley is keen to increase the match fitness of players including Harry Forrester (pictured), Egli Kaja, Anthony Hartigan and Paul Robinson. Dean Parrett is also pencilled in to play his first game since suffering a groin injury at Oxford in October.
Alan Reeves said: "In the last two weeks we've had games called off. We had been hoping to give first-teamers minutes so that they are ready for a busy month in February, but we've not been able to do that so far. It's always tough when games are off. You can judge players in training a little bit, but in games is when they really get tested. The young lads need to be playing consistently week in and week out and they are also playing for their futures, to get contracts."
Will Nightingale is not yet ready to return after suffering a knee injury recently.
The last match for AFC Wimbledon's development squad was almost three weeks ago when the Dons won 3-2 at Southend with Ossama Ashley netting the winner.