AFC Wimbledon and bitter foes MK Dons cancel each other out

AFC WIMBLEDON and MK Dons shared the spoils as the two rivals drew 0-0 at Plough Lane.

Both teams had a decent shout for a penalty ignored late in the first half, but ultimately neither could break the deadlock as Johnnie Jackson’s side moved up to fifth spot in League One.

Callum Maycock squandered a glorious early opportunity for Wimbledon when he flashed a ninth minute shot agonisingly wide after being set up perfectly by Myles Hippolyte.

Steve Seddon was only denied by the quick thinking of Will Dennis minutes later before Callum Patterson went into the referee’s book for a foul on Steve Seddon.

Joe Bursik was called into action to tip over Sam Nombe’s angled shot after the MK attacker burst into the box.

It signalled the start of the first real spell of pressure from the visitors, with Nombe’s delivery well blocked by Isaac Ogundere and then Ryan Johnson being forced to concede a corner.

Johnson picked up a yellow card after tripping Aaron Collins as he launched a surging run towards goal.

Bursik then produced an excellent stop from Patterson’s powerfully struck angled effort after Johnson could only head on a cross into the danger zone.

From the resultant corner, Patterson guided his header downwards and the ball ended up on the roof of the net, much to the obvious delight of the cheering Wimbledon fans.

The home players and supporters were screaming for a penalty five minutes before the break as Curtis Nelson appeared to handle just inside the box with Jaydon Stockley trying to meet the ball, although those pleas fell on deaf ears.

And there was a similar appeal deep into first half stoppage time at the other end, this time Stockley the man to perhaps get away with one after a coming together with Dan Crowley.

Replays showed both spot-kick claims had merit, but ultimately the game remained goalless at the break.

The second period began brightly with each team trying to get forward, but there was still a lack of cutting edge in the final third.

Cohen Bramall pushed Steven Sessegnon right in front of the linesman before a free-kick could be taken, an offence which unsurprisingly earned a 55th minute caution for the MK player.

Stockley got away with a similar fate after leaving his boot on Alex Gilbey’s calf as tensions threatened to boil over.

Bursik did well to get down and use his foot to keep out Collins’ low delivery across the six-yard box and it was the MK forward who headed just over moments later when a dangerous free-kick was whipped in.

Alistair Smith went close with a well-struck crack at goal from outside of the area on 73 minutes that flew just off target in what was a rare attack from Wimbledon.

There was another close shave for the hosts as Dan Sweeney was ideally poised to put behind Dan Crowley’s attempt after Sam Nombe had flicked on Ryan Wintle’s dangerous ball.

Back came Wimbledon. Stockley doing well to get on the end of substitute Dujuan Richards’ excellent cross but sadly was unable to direct his effort goalwards.

And then the lively Richards threaded through Sessegnon, whose shot was well saved by the alert Dennis.

Stockley glanced an 84th minute header harmlessly wide after MK failed to clear their lines from a free-kick.

MK continued to press but the Wimbledon defence held firm to claim what was a deserved clean sheet.

However, it is safe to say this latest instalment of the grudge match between these two sides isn’t one which will last long in the memory.

AFC Wimbledon (3-4-2-1): Bursik; Ogundere, Sweeney. Johnson; Sessegnon, Smith, Harrison (Richards 72), Seddon; Maycock (Nelson 72), Hippolyte; Stockley. Subs not used: Yiadom, McDonnell, McNeilly, Sassu, Simmonds.

MK Dons (3-1-4-2): Dennis; Goode, Nelson, Campbell; Paterson, Crowley (Wiles 79), Gilbey, Brammall; Nombe, Collins (Fullah 79). Subs not used: Barlaser, Ekpitete,, Hepburn-Murphy, Jones, MacGillivray.