There’s a new ground in store for County this weekend, as we travel to AFC Wimbledon for the first time on Saturday looking for a quick return to winning ways.
Tuesday night’s goalless draw at home to Bradford City saw County miss out on the chance to move into the play-off places for the first time this season, as we remained in tenth place – three points behind Mark Hughes’ side with a superior goal difference.
Bradford are not in action at the weekend due to opponents Walsall being in FA Cup action, meaning three points on the road could finally see us move into the top seven, should Barrow and Mansfield both drop points in their games against Northampton and Doncaster respectively.
Just six points currently separate Swindon in 6th and Tranmere in 15th, and AFC Wimbledon are another member of the chasing pack looking to close in on the play-off places. They sit just two points behind County having played a game more, and will be looking to climb above us in the table with a win at the Cherry Red Records Stadium.
Their most recent game was also against Bradford last weekend, and also finished 0-0 in South-West London, leaving them with just one win in their last six.
Since we last met:
The reverse fixture back in September was the first ever meeting between these two sides (not including our meetings with the old Wimbledon FC), as the Dons were one of the two sides that replaced County upon our relegation from the EFL in 2011.
Fraser Horsfall’s first-half header, his first goal for County, was enough to earn Dave Challinor’s side just a second league win of the season that day. The three points lifted us to 18th, with seven points from our opening seven games, with Wimbledon one point above in 15th.
That loss was the second in a run of four straight defeats for Johnnie Jackson’s side, still adjusting to life back in League Two after a first ever relegation for the Club last season. A defeat to Sutton United in October left the side just three points above the relegation zone, and facing the possibility of a return to non-league for the first time since 2011.
The Dons form since then, however, has been far more impressive. Over the last 15 games they have picked up 24 points, enough to place them in a play-off place over that period, and have now lost just once in the last 13 league games.
Too many draws has been their issue – seven of those 13 games ended in stalemate, and no-one in League Two has drawn more games than their nine so far this season. In their last six games alone the side have won one, lost one and drawn four – dropped points that have seen them fail to climb out of the bottom half of the table.
There’s been plenty of change at the Club in the transfer market so far, with several loan players being recalled by their parent clubs and, more recently, star man Ayoub Assal being sold to Qatari Club Al-Wakrah.
The 20-year-old had been with the Club since U12s level, and had scored ten goals in 31 appearances this season before the Qatar Star Leagues side activated a release clause in his deal earlier on Friday. He leaves in what is a club record deal for the Dons.
There have been incomings too, with former Torquay midfielder Armani Little joining on loan from Forest Green Rovers – the 25-year-old scored the winner for Torquay against County last season, at Plainmoor.
They have also further bolstered their forward line with the additions of Sam Pearson, Ali Al-Hamadi and Saikou Janneh, from Bristol City, Wycombe Wanderers and Cambridge United respectively.
Match Stats:
- Ben Hinchliffe made his 250th league appearance for the Club in Tuesday’s draw against Bradford, and his 303rd overall – keeping his 116th clean sheet in the process.
- No team has picked up more points than County over the last 15 games in League Two (30 – the joint most along with Stevenage).
