By Georgia Garnett at Plough Lane
JOHNNIE Jackson said AFC Wimbledon “weren’t ruthless enough” as they suffered a frustrating 1-0 League Two loss to Walsall at Plough Lane on Saturday afternoon.
Nathan Lowe scored the only goal in the 52nd minute, giving the visitors their first win in League Two since October 22.
Walsall started on the offensive, with Jamie Jellis striding down the field aiming to cross into the box seven minutes in, but Ryan Johnson diverted the ball away from danger.
Fans at Plough Lane were unimpressed when referee James Durkin didn’t award a penalty after Omar Bugiel appeared to be shoved inside the box.
Matty Stevens and MylesHippolyte had attempts on goal in the 32nd minute, but Saddlers stopper Tommy Simkin denied them.
Dons defender Ryan Johnson’s attempted effort went wide before Lowe broke the deadlock as he tapped in David Okagbue’s cross from close range for his eighth goal of the season.
Wimbledon goalkeeper Owen Goodman then kept out the nineteen-year-old’s header as the visitors threatened to double their lead.
Bugiel had a deflected shot in the 60th minute and James Tilley forced a save from Simkin a minute later.
Hippolyte had the best of several Wimbledon chances with 20 minutes left, only for his effort to hit the crossbar.
Walsall’s Ryan Stirk missed wide to the left on 80 minutes as Walsall limited the hosts to crosses late on that they defended well
“It was a tough game against a good opponent,” Jackson said. “I said at half-time that probably a mistake by either team was going tp win or lose the game and the mistake came from us.
“We weren’t ruthless enough and it cost us.”
Wimbledon missed out on the chance to move into the play-offs and sit in ninth with 23 points from fifteen games.
In the midst of a brutal seven games in 22 days, Wimbledon travel to Tranmere Rovers on Tuesday night for a 7:45pm kick-off.
