AFC Wimbledon had to settle for a point as we drew 0-0 with Mansfield Town on Saturday afternoon.
In a game of very few clear cut chances for both sides it will be the Dons who will feel we could have got more after seeing a James Tilley penalty saved in the first-half.
Nevertheless a point on the road isn’t to be sniffed at when Mansfield’s unbeaten start to the season is taken into account.
We once again showed strong organisation defensively and on another day one point could have been three. Our attentions now turn to a return to home turf as we prepare to face Bradford City at the Cherry Red Records Stadium.
Johnnie Jackson made one change to the side which beat Harrogate Town 1-0 as Josh Neufville came in for Aron Sasu.
It was Omar Bugiel who had our first effort of the afternoon, with the German-Lebanese striker firing straight at Christy Pym in the Mansfield goal. At the other end Joe Lewis was on hand to cut out a dangerous looking cross.
There was a big chance for the Dons to take the lead just south of the half hour mark when referee Martin Woods pointed to the penalty spot after a foul on Bugiel. James Tilley took the resulting spotkick but saw his effort pushed onto the underside of the bar by Pym.
Our number seven then had another effort fly wide as we continued to create opportunities in the latter stages of the first-half. The Stags’ expansive style certainly tested us at times but for the most part of the 45 minutes we kept them at arms’ length.
When they did eventually break through, they faced an in-form Alex Bass, with our keeper denying George Maris superbly in a one on one. This kept the game goalless heading into the break.
Into the second-half and it was the Dons who had the best opportunity of the game as Tilley raced onto a loose ball before rounding the keeper, only for Pym to recover and save strongly. The shot-stopper almost had egg on his face soon after however as he came mightily close to spilling another effort from our winger over the line.
Jake Reeves then fired into the side netting after a quickly taken free-kick as we continued to build up momentum. Davis Keillor-Dunn’s header drifted wide at the other end as the Stags kept us on our toes heading towards the final 10 minutes.
James Gale also had a shot from distance that forced Bass into his first real save of the afternoon. It was the only real bit of action in the final few minutes as both sides had to settle for a point.
AFC Wimbledon: Alex Bass, Jake Reeves, Ryan Johnson, James Tilley (Aron Sasu), Ali Al-Hamadi, Josh Neufville, Armani Little, Omar Bugiel, Jack Currie, Joe Lewis, Isaac Ogundere
Attendance: 7,417 (411 away)
PICS: Malcolm Bryce (Pro Sports Images)