JOHNNIE Jackson hailed goal-scoring midfielders Callum Maycock and Alistair Smith after their goals in AFC Wimbledon’s 2-1 victory against Carlisle at Brunton Park last weekend.
Maycock scored in the second minute and Smith doubled their advantage just after the break.
Mark Hughes’s Blues pulled a goal back through Matthew Dennis but Jackson’s Dons held on to remain in the last automatic promotion spot with nine games left.
“We showed two sides to us,” Jackson said. “We played some really good football and dug in when we had to.
“We brought Callum back into the team for his legs and energy. For him to get into the box and goal scoring positions. He did that well, with a really good finish. It was a great start to the game for us, he also put in some great work out of possession. He’s an important player for us and we missed him while he was injured.
“That’s where we wanted Smudge arriving as a midfield player for the second – it was a great goal. It’s something we’ve been banging on about, tirelessly – midfielders arriving into the box and our strikers and midfielders creating the openings because we get a lot of balls into that area. We have done in the last few games, but they haven’t quite fallen.
Jackson added: “Josh Neufville has been great, not just on this occasion but in previous games. He’s getting a lot of crosses into the box and looking dangerous in those areas. He gets the reward because someone was on the end of it and they haven’t always been previously. He needs to keep doing that, but he was excellent.”
Jackson explained the absences of wing-back James Tilley and striker Joe Pigott.
He said: “Tilley was feeling his thigh after training one day this week. He’ll probably be touch and go for next week. Similar sort of situation with Joe, who had a really tight hip after Tuesday’s match. Both were therefore unavailable.”
The Dons host Barrow on Saturday at 3pm.
