JOSH Davison has saluted AFC Wimbledon strike duo Ali Al-Hamadi and Omar Bugiel after last night’s thrilling 5-3 win over Colchester.
The trio played together in attack, with Davison nabbing a brace and Al-Hamadi helping himself to one.
Wimbledon’s two other goals came courtesy of defender Joe Lewis as the Dons quickly put Boxing Day’s shock home defeat to neighbours Sutton firmly behind them.
Victory lifts Johnnie Jackson’s side back into the play-offs, although they now look set to lose Al-Hamadi and Bugiel after the duo were selected by Iraq and Lebanon for the upcoming Asia Cup.
Monday’s game with Forest Green will be the last time Dons fans will get to see the pair until potentially after the final on 10 February.
Davison reckons it is a pleasure to play alongside them, but pointed it their absence will provide an opportunity for other Wimbledon players to stake a claim for first team football.
He told afcwimbledon.co.uk: “The boy (Ali Al-Hamadi) is on fire at the moment.
“It feels like he’s always going to score – he gets more than one chance.
“Omar Bugiel behind us works well off of him.
!We know he’s going to win the ball and slot us in. It’s a striker’s delight.
“That little combination we’ve got going, I’ve been enjoying it.
“It’s just going to add weaponry to my game, but we know that everybody has got to step up now as it’s a squad game.”
Davison took his tally for the season so far to eight with those two goals against Colchester, although the visitors had their moments having led 2-1 until Lewis equalised shortly before the interval.
For Davison, the turnaround in fortunes during the 90 minutes demonstrated Wimbledon’s ruthless streak.
He explained: “It was a really good game. I enjoyed it.
“It was the last home game of the year and nice to end it that way.
“Teams have spells. They had a very good spell and got two goals to go 2-1 in front, but it showed character from us that we rode it out.
“We showed that we can get back into games and not only win it, but go and kill it.
“The advice at the break was to keep doing what we did at the end of the first half and we’d go on and win the game.
“That’s what we did. We’ve got the three points to show for it.”
Jackson was more than impressed with Davison’s contribution, describing his fourth minute opener as similar to a certain A lister who played a key role in Leicester’s 2016 title success.
The Dons boss said: “There’s never a lack of effort with Josh.
“I feel like he could get in better goal scoring positions, be on the move a bit more. That’s what we’re working on with him.
“His first goal was reminiscent of one that Jamie Vardy would score.
“The movement was great. He got across the defender – that doesn’t happen without that movement.”
