By Jack Whittaker
WHEN Wimbledon’s scintillating home form came up against League One’s second-best travellers in Grimsby, something had to give. On this occasion it was the Dons’ 100 per cent home record this season which yielded.
The Dons had the better of the opening minutes, but after sloppy defending to concede the goal to Danny Rose, they struggled to regain their footing, and once they did, they were met by an immovable Grimsby defence.
What was clear to see from a Wimbledon perspective was an identity and a style which the players seem to be buying into. A key component of this is the effectiveness of wing-backs James Tilley and Josh Neufville.
This season both wing-backs are ranking in the top ten for shots per 90 with Tilley taking the number one spot. And it was Tilley who provided the main outlet and threat for Wimbledon as they searched for an equaliser against Grimsby, with his three shots on target – the games’ highest.
Johnie Jackson’s side look to be purposeful in possession and aren’t afraid of playing the long ball to risk a turnover. Omar Bugiel is the target man, dragging defenders out of position and providing knock-downs for his team-mates.
This allows space for the likes of Tilley and Neufville, and when the Dons are able spread play quickly, they create overloads in wide areas.
Jackson articulated this strategy when he said: “I think we could switch it quicker than we did in the first half.
“We tried to build a bit differently in the second half with an extra midfielder to try and get the switches of play which we did much better and got Tilley and Josh on the ball loads.”
The midfield players are key in creating these overloads with Miles Hippolyte and Callum Maycock switching play, or drifting wide to create overloads and deliver crosses.
This support gives extra impetus for the wide players. Tilley ranks in the top ten for crosses into the box this season despite playing the fewest minutes out of the pool of players, delivering a game-high of 21 against Grimsby.
Jackson remained confident his side would find an equaliser in the second half, but admitted Grimsby made it difficult as their one-goal advantage gave them licence to sit back and soak up pressure.
Jackson said: “The first half has cost us really because obviously the second half was all us, but they’ve got something to cling to and they made it difficult.
“We peppered their box with crosses and shots, I felt it was coming all of the second half but then you run out of time.”
The Dons now sit fourteenth in the division and will hope to turn around their away form against Barrow this weekend.
In Barrow they face League One’s tightest defence so the challenge will be similar, but if they continue to work the channels as they did in the second half, Jackson will hope at least one falls for them this time.
