JOHNNIE Jackson is targeting more Wembley gory after AFC Wimbledon reached the last eight of the EFL Trophy after their 4-2 win against West Ham United under-21s at Plough Lane on Monday.
The Dons were 3-0 up against Greg Lincoln’s youngster by the 47th minute after goals from Alistair Smith, Callum Maycock and Marcus Browne.
Josh Ajala and Lewis Orford gave the only under-21 side left in the competition hope and caused some nerves in the home support with goals in the 66th and 84th minutes.
But Wimbledon rubber-stamped their progress when Myles Hippolyte scored the fourth in the 97th minute after Finlay Herrick saved Antwoine Hackford’s chipped effort.
Jackson led the Dons to Wembley victory last May when Hippolyte scored the only goal in the League Two play-off final against Walsall.
The competition is still split into northern and southern sections at the quarter-final stage. Wimbledon could draw Swindon Town, Plymouth Argyle, Northampton Town or Walsall. The latter two are involved in a last-sixteen tie on Wednesday.
“We’re here now, we’re in the last eight and we want to win it,” Jackson said on the Dons’ website. “I want to win in every competition that we’re in. We know what Wembley means to this club and the history behind it. What an opportunity we have to go and write another chapter in that.”
“I think West Ham gave a brilliant account of themselves. Obviously, they’ve got a lot of talented players and we didn’t take them lightly at all. And I think for the majority of the game, we were really, really good.
“Some excellent goals, some good play, really professional. But obviously, they come up with a couple of moments towards the end and then it just makes it a little bit more uncertain.
“But that’s what can happen. Goals just can change the complexion of the game, give them a bit of confidence. So it wasn’t straightforward when it looked like it might be, but we came here to try and get into the last eight and we’ve done it.”
Jackson was impressed with the performances of right wing-back Nathan Asiimwe and left-sided attacker Junior Nkeng as he explained their roles.
“We wanted Junior and Nathan to provide the width,” Jackson said. “They’re two different types of players. Junior is obviously more of a dribbler, he wants to get at people one-on-one.
Nathan’s more of a shift, deliver or come back to set it for someone to deliver. So it’s picking and choosing the right moments when to cross and getting bodies in the box.
“I thought we did that really well. Got him [Nkeng] on the ball a lot, and he was a threat to them. We got Nathan on the ball a lot, we got a lot of crosses into the box tonight – not just them, Ogs [Isaac Ogundere] from behind, [Steve] Seddon on his left foot.
“And I think if you keep asking questions of the opposition in their own penalty box, then you can see the results. Whether you score off the first one or create a little bit of chaos or mistakes, whatever that may be, you have to put the opposition under pressure.”
Wimbledon are back in league action this Saturday when they face Doncaster Rovers at Plough Lane (3pm).
