JOHNNIE Jackson said AFC Wimbledon had kept their season “alive” after Omar Bugiel scored the only goal of the game against Salford City at Plough Lane on Saturday.
Bugiel headed in from Kofi Balmer’s long throw 20 minutes from time for his eleventh goal of the season.
Salford had Elliot Watt and Theo Vassell sent off for dissent nine minutes into added-time.
The Dons are seventh, three points behind Crawley Town who had two games in hand.
“The most important thing is that we won – that’s what matters at this stage of the season,” Jackson said on the Dons’ website. “t doesn’t matter how you do it, it’s about getting it done.
“The boys gave absolutely everything. We got another clean sheet. It was a resolute performance even if we weren’t at our best. We’ve kept the season alive with three games to go.
“We had the wind behind us in the second half, which definitely helped. It was our turn to use that to our advantage after they did in the first half. We went to two strikers in Josh [Kelly] and Omar, which really helped us to have an outlet. We made them defend our box and that’s how we got our goal. It wasn’t vintage but no one is going to remember that.
“We stuck to our task and saw it through. We put our bodies on the line. The skipper [Jake Reeves] came up with a block at the end. That’s what this club is all about – giving everything for the badge.
“We need to make sure we do that in the remaining games.”
Jackson explained the decision to take off Jack Currie, who was bleeding from his nose, in the 37th minute.
Jackson said: “He’s sore. He got a big cut. He’s a proper defender now, he’s got the scars to prove it. He tried to carry on but the blood was affecting his breathing. He didn’t want to affect the team’s performance by staying on. He made an honest call and said he needed to come off.”
The Dons travel to Swindon Town on Saturday.
