Late goal is a sickener for AFC Wimbledon as Cardiff City ruin Dons' stirring second half showing

Lest we forget : Picture by @YTJourno

League One

AFC Wimbledon (0) 0

Cardiff City (0) 1 Davies 90+2

The Dons were undone at the last as they almost came through another big test of their credentials as a fledgling League One side against one of the division's fancied sides.

Championship drop-outs Cardiff have started unbeaten with two home wins and an away drawn and the way they controlled the first half, suggested the Dons were in for the toughest of examinations.

But they held firm and eventually posed problems of their own and looked on course to build on their own impressive start to life back in the third tier until the late, late winner.

They were not spectacular but showed plenty of grit and second half substitutions swayed the contest more and more in their direction as the game wore on.

Coming after the narrow loss to Luton and workmanlike wins against Lincoln City at home and Reading away, this has been a very decent start to the campaign, despite this unlucky setback.

The game instantly settled into a heady tempo, with Cardiff mostly calling the shots. They looked intent on demonstrating that the sides were two divisions apart last season and quickly bossed the middle of the park.

The fleet-footed Rubin Colwill, in particular, was full of industry, buzzing purposefully around the 18-yard box, and giving Johnnie Jackson's men plenty to think about with his forceful runs.

But the Dons worked their way into the contest, surviving some penalty box pressure well before venturing upfield and seeing a Jake Reeves effort arrow just off target during an unfamiliar opening which saw them forced to attack the Paul Strank home stand in the first half rather than in the second - contrary to their normal preference.

The Bluebirds might have taken the lead through Yousef Salech, when the Danish striker got on the end of a cross from the right and wasn't far off target. Ollie Tanner bent one just past the far post after cutting in from the left before having to go off injured after crashing into advertising hoardings behind the goal.

Matt Stevens had to feed on scraps and only lasted an hour, but there was always a chance the Dons might be able to cash in on Cardiff's failure to make all their possession count. Ali Smith fired a rare shot just wide and Myles Hippolyte did his best to get into a game that tested the Wombles' resilience and concentration.

Jackson shuffled his pack, with Marcus Browne and Omar Bugiel thrown into the fray just past the hour mark and the injection of new blood resulted in the hosts raising their game.

Browne sent a rasping drive narrowly wide as optimism increased. Smith and sub Antwoine Hackford combined well in another attack that gave Bugiel an opening he should have made more of. A clever chip up by Reeves gave Browne another half-chance that flew just over.

City looked to have missed their chance to snatch a win at the death when sub Callum Robinson headed over from close range but moments later, two Cardiff subs combined to break home hearts. A ball in from the right was touched home by Isaak Davies with an assist from David Turnbull.

It was so rough on the Dons, who incredibly almost responded with an equaliser in the final seconds - keeper Nathan Trott just getting down in time to divert a Hackford shot wide.

Dons: (3-4-3) Bishop - Asiimwe, Seddon (Sasu 90), Johnson - Lewis (Harbottle 28), Ogundere, Reeves, Smith - Stevens (Hackford 63), Hippolyte (Brown 63), Orsi (Bugiel 63)

Bluebirds: (4-2-3-1) Trott - Kpakio, Fish, Lawlor, Bagan (Chambers 82) - Joel Colwill (Turnbull 64), Wintle - Ashford (Davies 64), Rubin Colwill, Tanner (Willock 45+5) - Salech (Robinson 64)

Attendance: 8,452