COVID-hit Dons just above the drop zone as they lose 2-1 at Plough Lane to Lincoln City

By Paul Lagan at Plough Lane

AFC Wimbledon 1 v Lincoln City 2

The Dons were dealt a sucker punch eight minutes from time as they went down 2-1 to high-flying Lincoln City at Plough Lane having come from behind to equalise and looked well worth a point.

But a lack of concentration allowed Tom Hopper to smack home the winner.

The league leaders took an early lead, impressive Tayo Edun striking home a wonderful long range effort only to see that lead evaporate from the head of man mountain Ollie Palmer.

The home side, are now hovering above the relegation zone and must have wished the EFL had postponed the encounter following a number positive Covid-19 tests.

It took just eight minutes for the league leaders to open their account. From a regulation corner the ball fell invitingly to Tayo Edun, who cooly rammed home a smart curling right-footer from 25 yards pst a host of players but more importantly, the Don goalkeeper Connal Truman.

The visitors continued to push forward, in search of a decisive second goal.

But on te break, the Dons looked dangerous, Joe Piggot tried a long-range effort of his own on 12 minutes but failed to trouble Alex Palmer.

But a golden chance went begging on 22 minutes when a far post header by Joe Pigott went inches wide of the goal.

Palmer was in action again, a minute later, parrying away a low drive by Pigott as the Dons took control of the game.

They got their deserved equaliser on 31 minutes when a smart counter-attack, with lots of skill and one-touch play saw the ball, again got deep to the far post. This time Ollie Palmer rose above the defenders and planted a powerful header which Alex Palmer couldn’t do anything about.

There were no changes by either side at half-time.

Twice The Imps had good chances stemming from the left - both times a brilliant byline ball was pinged across the Dons’ six-yard box - but both times there wasn’t a player to finish the move off.

On 60 minutes, Dons’ midfielder Jack Rudoni sliced a low drive just inside the Imps’ penalty area - it beat Alex Palmer in goal, but also the post as it inched just wide of putting the home side ahead.

Dons boss Glyn Hodges made his first change when on came Ethan Chislett for Pigott on 68 minutes.

But the pressure on the Dons defence increased without the curling edge from the Lincoln City attack.

And eight minutes from time, some sloppy defending saw Tom Hopper free in the box and he smashed home to put the Imps 2-1up.

Adan Roscrow then entered the fray for centre-back Paul Kalambayi.

But the away side saw out the final minutes to take home the three points.

Teams:

Wimbledon, 1 Connal Truman, 3 Daniel Csoka, 4 Alex Woodyard, 6 Terrell Thomas, 7 Cheye Alexander, 9 Ollie Palmer, 12 Jack Rudoni, 16 Jaakko Oksanen, 19 Shane McLoughlin, 30 Paul Kalambayi, 39. Joe Pigott

Subs: Nik Tzanev, Adam Roscrow, 11 Ethan Chislett, Zach Robinson, Huseyin Biler, Archie Proctor, Jack Currie

Lincoln City

1 Alex Palmer, 22 TJ Eyoma, 4 Lewis Monstma, 16 Joe Walsh, 7 Tayo Edun, 23 Liam Bridcutt, 10 George Grant, 8 James Jones, 11 Anthony Scully, 20 Brennan Johnson, 9 Tom Hopper

Subs: Sam Long, Max Melbourne, Adam Jackson, Remy Howarth, Robbie Gotts, Zachary Elbouzedi.

Referee Lee Swabey