AFC Wimbledon manager Johnnie Jackson is looking for an instant reaction from his squad to today’s 2-1 home defeat against Stockport.
The Dons went into the game looking to maintain their unbeaten start in League Two and everything appeared to be going to plan when Josh Davison put the hosts ahead.
Louie Barry drew Stockport level early in the second half before Will Collar struck what proved to be the winning goal on 62 minutes.
Top scorer James Tilley should have equalised with what was virtually the last kick of the game but unusually failed to hit the target.
That meant a first loss on the board in the league and now the manager is challenging his squad to use their disappointment as motivation to go again at home to Crewe next Saturday.
Jackson said: “We knew it (unbeaten record) would come to an end at some stage. It’s a credit to the boys that it lasted this long.
“It’s easy when everyone is patting you on the back and saying well done, now we get our first kick up the backside.
“We’ll get to find out more about the group.
“They’re a great group of lads and I have no doubt in my mind that they’ll be annoyed. They’ll double down and put in the effort this week.
“We have to use the frustration as our fuel.”
Jackson couldn’t fault what he saw before the break but accepted the momentum swung Stockport’s way after the interval.
He explained: “We lost our way a bit in the second-half.
“There was a period where they got their two goals.
“In those moments we haven’t gone about our business well enough defensively.
“Two lapses of concentration have cost us.”
Jackson added: “In the first-half our shape was really good.
“The game became too stretched and too open – that’s ultimately what’s cost us.
“We wanted to inject a bit of energy into the team. We made changes to combat the energy that they got with their equaliser.
“I don’t think we were brave enough in possession up until the last 15 minutes when we were chasing the game.”
