Our side gave everything they had on Saturday afternoon as the Dons came mightily close to taking all three points at Bradford City, only to concede a late equaliser in stoppage time.
Following a slow start to the first-half – in which Scott Banks scored a free-kick - Johnnie Jackson’s side began to showcase the qualities that we have been waiting to see over the past few weeks, with the home crowd becoming more and more frustrated as we grew stronger.
Our bright spell was ultimately rewarded in the second period, with Harry Pell capping an energetic performance with his first goal since re-joining us this summer.
And things got even better as the half wore on, with Ethan Chislett bending in another beauty of a free-kick to send the 351 travelling Wombles wild.
Sadly, we couldn’t hold out for the victory as Vadaine Oliver scored a late equaliser but nevertheless this is a point that could give us the platform to build towards brighter things in the weeks ahead.
Jackson made multiple changes to the side which saw off Crawley Town 3-2 in the Papa John’s Trophy, with Nik Tzanev being restored between the sticks, whilst there was starts for Josh Davison, Ayoub Assal and Paris Maghoma.
Isaac Ogundere also featured in a League Two starting 11 for the first time in his senior career. Meanwhile Huseyin Biler was named on the bench after recovering from a long-term injury.
A noisy home crowd made for a bouncing atmosphere prior to kick-off and it clearly drove Bradford on as they took the lead inside the first five minutes. Wimbledon were adjudged to have given away a foul on the edge of the area and it was Banks who stepped up to fire the free-kick past Tzanev.
The Dons were then hit with a further blow as Alex Pearce was forced off through injury in what was a nightmarish opening quarter.
Tzanev was in the thick of the action again soon after he sprung full stretch to tip a goal- bound header from Dion Pereira over the bar.
We then had our first chance of the afternoon as a curling cross was knocked into the path of Assal, only for our number 10 to head straight at Harry Lewis in the Bantams’ goal.
The forward then created another opening for himself, this time cutting inside from the left channel, but his low shot lacked the power required to test the keeper.
We then went even closer as Chislett rattled the crossbar following more good work from Assal out wide.
Moving into the second-half and it was Wimbledon who struck the woodwork again, as Davison saw his shot cannon back off the post with Lewis beaten.
It mattered little though as we equalised shortly afterwards. A hoisted cross wasn’t dealt with by the Bradford back-line, and Assal got a shot in, but the effort was only palmed by Lewis, and the waiting Pell crashing the ball home into the roof of the net.
It was then the Bantams’ turn to hit the bar, as another direct free-kick came close to finding the net shortly after our goal.
Despite a slight surge from the hosts, Wimbledon seized the initiative. A free-kick was awarded a fair distance out, but Chislett stepped up and expertly curled the ball up and over the wall and into the top corner.
Six minutes of added time were signalled by the fourth official and it appeared that we would see the result out until Oliver popped up in the six-yard box to head home, meaning the Dons had to settle for a point.
AFC Wimbledon: Nik Tzanev, Lee Brown, Will Nightingale, Harry Pell, Josh Davison (Kyle Hudlin), Ayoub Assal, Ethan Chislett (George Marsh), Alex Pearce (Ryley Towler), Paris Maghoma, Jack Currie, Isaac Ogundere
PICS: Paul Thompson (Pro Sports Images)