Preview | AFC Wimbledon (H)

6 January 2023

Crewe Alexandra entertain AFC Wimbledon in their second fixture of 2023 on Saturday (3pm).

The sides shared a 1-1 draw at Plough Lane earlier this season, but Lee Bell will be hoping his men make it back-to-back wins at Mornflake Stadium.

The Opposition

Wimbledon lost their opening game of the year to Sutton United, but before that they were 10 unbeaten in League Two and closing in on the Play-Offs.

Having been relegated alongside Crewe last term, they will be hoping to get in position to bid for an immediate return to League One.

The Gaffer

Former Spurs, Watford and Colchester player Johnnie Jackson took the reins at Plough Lane in May. He has experience of management with Charlton Athletic, and has started to make an impression with Wimbledon after a slow start.

Fighting Talk

Lee Bell: "Our message to the players is they have to continue in the same way that we saw against Tranmere. We can’t live off one win, we have to take it into the next game. It’ll be a really tough game, and our work ethic has to be there again."

Johnnie Jackson: "Everyone else looks fresh and they are keen to bounce back to winning ways at Crewe. They see that there are places up for grabs and we’ve got a good group to choose from."

Team news

Connor O’Riordan is in contention for Crewe after being recalled from loan with Raith Rovers. Callum Ainley could also figure after resuming full training. Charlie Colkett will be checked after limping out of the last game, but Christopher Long, Courtney Baker-Richardson, and Zac Williams remain out.

Wimbledon new signing Sam Pearson could figure after joining on loan from Bristol City, while Zach Robinson is also in contention after returning from loan at Dundee. Ayoub Assal is back with the squad after an illness.

Officials

Chris Pollard has been appointed as referee. Assistant referees are Lee Freeman and Jake Topp, while Matthew Perry is fourth official.

Elsewhere in League Two

Harrogate Town v Colchester United; Leyton Orient v Doncaster Rovers; Mansfield Town v Barrow; Rochdale v Newport County; Salford City v Northampton Town; Tranmere Rovers v Sutton United.

Ticket Details

Crewe Alexandra are offering a discount price on all tickets for the game.

Ticket Prices:

Adults	£15.00
Seniors	£10.00
12-16 Years	£5.00
Under-11s	£1.00

Purchase online safely & securely via www.eticketing.co.uk/crewealex

Call the ticket office on 01270 252610.

Alternatively, drop in-store to purchase your tickets & beat the queues ahead of matchday.

Click here to purchase your tickets.

Can't Make The Game?

Crewe fans in the UK and around the world can listen to LIVE commentary on iFollow - CLICK HERE to purchase an Audio Match Pass for just £2.50!

Match Previews

Match Reports

Match Report | Crewe 0 AFC Wimbledon 0

7 January 2023

Spoils are shared at Mornflake Stadium
Eleventh clean sheet of season for Alex
Crewe 17^th in League Two at full-time

Crewe Alexandra were forced to settle for a point when AFC Wimbledon visited on Saturday.

The Railwaymen went closest in a fiercely-contested game, with Bassala Sambou striking a post early in the second half.

But neither side could find the breakthrough, and it finished as the second draw between the sides this season.

Now Lee Bell’s side will look forward to a full week of training before next week’s trip to Mansfield Town.

Bell made on enforced change to his side, after Charlie Colkett (hamstring) failed to prove his fitness.

Connor O’Riordan, recalled from his loan at Raith Rovers, was called into the heart of defence and Conor Thomas pushed forward into midfield.

Wimbledon, who played with five at the back, had the first effort on goal but Arthur Okonkwo was equal to Ethan Chislett’s close-range stab.

But it was an attritional first half, with goalmouth events few and far between.

The Alex arguably edged it, but neither side could produce the required quality to make a difference in the final third.

The best bit of play arrived in the 41^st minute, when Crewe worked the ball nicely from left to right and Dan Agyei sold his man a clever dummy in the box.

But when the striker pulled the trigger, Dons skipper Alex Pearce made a flying block to ensure the half finished 0-0.

Immediately after the restart, Tariq Uwakwe and Rio Adebisi combined nicely down the left and Sambou was unfortunate to see the ball come back off the post after he slid to meet it.

Uwakwe swept a shot over the bar shortly afterwards, and keeper Nikola Tzanev did well to claim a Regan Griffiths cross as the Alex asked questions.

On 65 minutes Chislett drove into the box with a couple of handy deflections and curled one towards the far corner, only for it to drop just wide.

Chislett’s direct free-kick flicked off the Alex wall for a corner on 69 minutes, but it came to nothing.

Brook collected a Sambou knock-down and forced a save from Tzanev as the clock ticked down.

In injury-time a lovely move down the left saw Callum Ainley set Agyei racing away, and his swirling cross was met by Sambou, but he couldn’t quite stretchtarget. Crewe to get his header on target.

Crewe (4-2-3-1): Okonkwo; Adebisi, McDonald, O’Riordan, Mellor; Thomas, Uwakwe (Ainley 76); Brook (Tabiner 88), Griffiths; Agyei; Sambou.

Subs not used: Richards, O Finney, Evans, Holicek, Sass-Davies.

Booked: Brook

AFC Wimbledon (5-4-1): Tzanev; Biler, Pearce, Kalambayi, Brown; Curie; Marsh, Chislett, Pell, Senior (Young-Coombes 66); Davison (Robinson 85).

Subs not used: Broome, Gunter, Bendle, Pearson, Osew.

Booked: Brown, Marsh.

Referee: C Pollard

Attendance: 4,379 (206)