Match Preview: AFC Wimbledon

27 April 2023

Tranmere Rovers look to extend their unbeaten run to three games on Saturday afternoon as they look to finish the season on a strong note.

Rovers, who sit in 12th place, look to end their 22/23 season with a win on their final trip on the road.

AFC Wimbledon, who sit in 21st, and have mathematically secured their League Two status for next season, look to give their fans something to cheer in their final home game of the campaign.

The Dons, who play their games at Plough Lane, have won 7 and drawn 6 out of 22 games in the South West of the capital this season – meaning a 1.23 points per game ratio – significantly better than their away form.

However, with just 1 point from the last 5 games, AFC will come up against a Rovers side who are looking to build momentum with some good results over the last few weeks.

The last meeting between the two sides was back in November, where the Dons ran out 2-0 winners on the Wirral.

One To Watch: Ethan Chislett

Ethan Chislett, born in South Africa in 1998, signed for current club, AFC Wimbledon, in the summer of 2020.

As a child, Ethan moved to the United Kingdom and progressed through youth football setups around the South of the country – starting out at Southampton Academy before his release for being ‘too small’. He later signed for Aldershot Town before making his senior debut for Metropolitan Police in 2015.

The midfielder later had spells abroad, playing for CF Reddis in Spain, before moving back to England and re-joining Metropolitan Police.

In 2019, he re-signed for Aldershot Town where he scored 9 goals in 37 appearances for the club before the onset of COVID-19 in early 2020.

He signed for AFC Wimbledon in 2020, his first breakthrough to the Football League, where he has featured 98 times for the First Team, scoring 13 goals.

11 of the 13 times he has hit the net for the Dons have come this season, meaning he is AFC’s top scorer, as well as having 2 assists to his name.

The Manager: Johnnie Jackson

Johnnie Jackson is a 40-year-old football manager, who has formerly played in the Premier League for numerous clubs.

He signed his first professional contract in 1999 for Tottenham Hotspur and stayed at White Hart Lane for 6 years, with loan spells at Swindon Town, Colchester United, Coventry City, Watford and Derby County. He represented Spurs’ first team 20 times in the midfield, scoring one.

He made his first move away in 2006, joining Colchester United, where he featured 107 times in 3 years, scoring 13 goals.

He finished his career with spells at Notts County and Charlton Athletic, before stepping into management in 2021 as a coach, before being appointed interim manager on two occasions. He was appointed permanent boss in 2021, however was relieved of his duties in the summer of 2021.

He was appointed the manager of AFC Wimbledon in 2022, on a 2-year-deal, following their relegation from League One. A disappointing campaign for Dons, however, one which they look to build on next season.

As a manager, both permanent and interim, Jackson has been in the hotseat for 94 games – winning 35, drawing 23 and losing 36 – meaning a win percentage of just 37.2%.

Match Coverage:

How to watch AFC Wimbledon v Tranmere Rovers?

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Match Previews

Match Reports

AFC Wimbledon 1-1 Tranmere Rovers

29 April 2023

Tranmere Rovers took a point from their final away game of the season thanks to Sam Taylor’s first professional goal.

Rovers named an unchanged 11 from their victory at home to Grimsby last week, with the only change to the squad seeing Joe Murphy return to the bench.

Wimbledon worked the first chance of the game when Ali Al-Hamadi drove forwards into the Rovers box, but Jordan Turnbull got in well to knock the ball towards the onrushing Mateusz Hewelt.

Rovers responded with some pressure of their own, but the hosts continued to push on and threatened with a couple of balls sent into the Tranmere box which Harvey Saunders and Josh Dacres-Cogley were called into action to clear.

After undertaking their defensive duties, the pair soon combined at the other end of the pitch when the right-back chipped a cross into Saunders, but the forward’s header was just wide of the mark.

Wimbledon appealed for a penalty on the half-hour mark after a challenge just inside the Rovers box, but the linesman flagged for an offside in the build-up.

Saunders had to be replaced shortly before the break when he limped off with Football Education Programme graduate Sam Taylor coming on in his place.

Taylor combined with Dacres-Cogley in a smart one-two on the cusp of half-time, but it remained goalless at the break.

Rovers continued to search for the opener early in the second half, Kane Hemmings forcing Nathan Broome into a save with an effort from range, before Josh Hawkes evaded several defenders with a brilliant weaving run to lay the ball off for Taylor whose shot was misfired wide.

Wimbledon responded with an extended spell of pressure, Ethan Chislett seeing a shot fire narrowly wide as well as a couple of shots from Al-Hamadi which forced Hewelt into action.

The hosts forged a way through on 68 minutes when former Rovers youth player Al-Hamadi was played through inside the box to put Wimbledon in front.

11 minutes later Rovers were level though, Josh Hawkes working the left-hand side before squaring to Sam Taylor who scored his first professional goal with a fine finish into the far corner.

Rovers had another chance to score when Florent Hoti strode forward into the home box, but Lee Brown got in well to turn it behind for a corner.

Tranmere eventually came away with a point on the road in their final away game of the season.

AFC Wimbledon: Broome, Brown, Woodyard, Nightingale, Davison (Janneh, 65), Jaiyesimi (Pearson, 86), Chislett, Al-Hamadi, McAteer, Biler (Gunter, 81), Currie.

Subs: Tzanev, Gunter, Marsh, Janneh, Pearson, Jenkins, Bartley.

Tranmere Rovers: Hewelt, Dacres-Cogley, Davies, Turnbull, Bristow, Hendry, Hawkes, Hughes (O’Connor, 46) Turner-Cooke (Hoti, 55), Saunders (Taylor, 44), Hemmings.

Subs: Murphy, Hoti, O’Connor, Taylor, Mumbongo, Burton.