Matchday Guide | AFC Wimbledon (A)

16 September 2023

Crewe Alexandra will look to make it back-to-back away wins when they travel to the Cherry Red Records Stadium to face AFC Wimbledon.

Lee Bell’s men could make it three League Two successes on the spin if they follow up last weekend's emphatic 4-1 victory at Forest Green Rovers.

The Opposition

Wimbledon have made a steady start to their Sky Bet League Two campaign and sit 11th. But they haven’t won in their last three league games - managing two draws and being defeated last week by Stockport County.

The Gaffer

Johnnie Jackson is the manager of Wimbledon after taking over in May 2022. The former Tottenham youth player ended his career at Charlton Athletic where he played 255 games, and he also managed the Addicks in two different spells across 2021 and 2022.

Fighting Talk

Lee Bell: "They’ve recruited well during the summer and they’ve started well. They are well organised and have some experience. We have to be ready and our mindset to be right.”

Johnnie Jackson: “They’ve had a really impressive start, got some really good players in their team and got fluidity in what they do. We know it’s going to be a tough game.”

Head-to-Head

The teams have met eight times in their history. The Railwaymen have won three times, with four ending in a draw. Wimbledon got their only victory over The Railwaymen during the 2021-22 campaign.

Match Officials

The referee for this clash is Lewis Smith. His assistants will be David Harrison and Adrian Tranter while the fourth official will be James Vallance.

Smith’s last game in charge of the Alex was their 2-2 draw away at Harrogate Town last season.

Elsewhere in League Two

Accrington v Sutton; Bradford v Harrogate; Colchester v Mansfield; Crawley v Tranmere; Forest Green v Doncaster; Gillingham v Morecambe; MK Dons v Stockport; Newport v Barrow; Swindon v Walsall; Wrexham v Grimsby.

Ticket Details

Click here to ticket information on AFC Wimbledon vs Crewe Alex.

How to Get There

Click here for information on how to get to The Cherry Red Records Stadium and other details for other visiting supporters.

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Match Reports

Match Report | Wimbledon 2 Crewe 2

16 September 2023

Railwaymen fight back from two down again
Tabiner and Nevitt on target in dramatic finish
Alex end the evening seventh in table

Elliott Nevitt’s 101^st minute goal salvaged a precious point in dramatic circumstances at AFC Wimbledon.

The Alex slipped two goals behind for the fourth time this season, when Josh Neufville and James Tilley put the hosts in charge.

But Joel Tabiner, a day after he signed a new deal with the club, halved the deficit with his first goal of the season just after the restart.

And deep into added time Nevitt produced a magnificent finish with his left foot to notch his fourth of the season and earn a share of the spoils.

Lee Bell’s men were second best for large periods of the game but their never-say-die spirit shone through again.

Crewe are now three games unbeaten and sit seventh in League Two.

Bell made one change to the side that won at Forest Green last time out with Ryan Cooney replacing Aaron Rowe. It meant a switch in position for Rio Adebisi as he pushed forward to operate as a wide attacker.

The hosts, who were looking for their first home win of the season, started strongly and got a few early sights of goal.

Captain Luke Offord and defensive partner Connor O’Riordan made important blocks, and on 13 minutes a super last-ditch tackle from Jack Powell denied the Dons a certain opener.

On 20 minutes Tabiner and Christopher Long combined nicely to free Courtney Baker-Richardson down the right but the striker’s cross was intercepted by keeper Alex Bass.

Crewe benefited from a real let-off when possession was lost in midfield and Ali Al-Hamadi squared for Tilley. But keeper Harvey Davies raced off his line and narrowed the angle enough to force the forward to fire wide from a great position.

Wimbledon broke the deadlock on the half hour when Al-Hamadi surged down the right and his cross found Neufville at the far post, and he made no mistake.

Davies saved from Charlie Lakin and then leapt to his left to push away an Al-Hamadi strike, but he could do nothing about Wimbledon’s second on 38 minutes.

The Alex failed to clear the danger and Tilley showed quick feet to create an angle before firing home from close range.

Davies made a point-blank save from an Al-Hamadi header, while Tabiner was off target with a dipping volley at the other end before the break.

O’Riordan couldn’t continue and was replaced by Zac Williams at the break, as Crewe switched to 3-5-2 for the second half.

On 51 minutes the Alex pulled one back when Cooney’s superb cross was met by the onrushing Tabiner who finished first-time with aplomb.

The game tightened up somewhat, and Bell reacted by swapping midfielder Connor Thomas for forward Nevitt just after the hour.

Omar Bugiel headed over from a corner and Neufville drilled wide after beating his man, as the hosts looked for a third.

Mickey Demetriou made a superb block to deny Al-Hamadi and sub Aron Sasu fizzed one over in the closing stages.

Crewe forced a number of corners in injury time and Williams bundled the ball in the net from one of them, but the assistant referee raised his flag for offside.

But Crewe refused to be denied and when the ball was helped forward to Nevitt in the 101^st minute he crashed it home from just inside the box.

Wimbledon (4-4-2): Bass; Ogundere, Lewis, Johnson, Currie (Sasu, 74); Tilley (Davison, 90+2), Lakin, Ball (Pell, 74), Neufville (Brown, 83); Bugiel (Evans, 90+2), Al-Hamadi.

Subs not used: Tzanev, Pearce.

Booked: Ogundere, Lakin

Crewe (4-2-3-1): Davies; Cooney (Rowe, 72), O’Riordan (Williams, 46), Offord, Demetriou; Powell (White, 85), Thomas (Nevitt, 62); Tabiner, Long, Adebisi (Finney, 85); Baker-Richardson.

Subs not used: Booth, Holicek, Rowe.

Booked: White, Rowe.

Referee: Lewis Smith.

Attendance: 8,137 (619).