AFC WIMBLEDON vs BURTON ALBION - LEAGUE ONE HOME FIXTURE 2021/22 SEASON [2nd OCTOBER]

Saturday 2nd October 2021 3pm
AFC Wimbledon will host their latest League One game at Plough Lane for the 2021-22 season against Burton Albion, back to back league defeats have halted the decent start to the season, and also went out of the league cup to Arsenal but that was no shock to us. Both sides are in action on Tuesday night and we had a poor game in a 3-0 away defeat against Rotherham, a run we need to bring to a swift halt.

Despite those setbacks, and on the back of Tuesday nights game we are still in 14th position in the league one table on 12 points although there are ten teams separated by only three points and therefore each win could make large differences at this stage of the season. We anticipate further team news before the weekend with the fall out of that defeat and the news that Ollie Palmer is definitely out of the starting eleven which will mean reliance on Aaron Pressley and Ayoub Assal, hopefully Jack Rudoni is available too. Our manager Mark Robinson said that there's no panic in the Wimbledon ranks after his side slipped to a third successive league defeat. Though very disappointed with the manner of defeat at Rotherham, Robbo was quick to focus on the challenge ahead at home to Burton;

"We've got to learn, and learn quickly, they've had some harsh words with each other, and we've got another similar challenge on Saturday. It's a chance to bounce back and to show that we are learning. Obviously, we are disappointed we've lost three games on the spin, it's the first time that has happened since I got the job, which is new territory. We won't panic, and we have the perfect opportunity to bounce back on Saturday".

Recent League One Results
Rotherham United 3 - 0 AFC Wimbledon.
Burton Albion 2 - 1 Portsmouth.

Onto today's game itself this Saturday in League One and our opponents today, Burton Albion. Managed by Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink who returned to the club for a second stint on New Years Day 2021. After their opening 8 fixtures they sit in 10th place on 15 points it's their -2 goal difference that is failing them this early in the season. They won't be easy, and saw off Portsmouth in midweek, captained by John Brayford I expect another tense fought battle this Saturday.

Head to Head

Our head to head form against Burton Albion since our return to the league as AFC Wimbledon is poor, fourteen previous meetings we have won only three times and the last of those was back in September 2014. Burton has won six times including the latest fixture back in March 1-0 the remaining five have been drawn. Hopefully this fifteenth fixture between the two sides will bring us closer to some sort of parity.

Starting XI's [Confirmed]

AFC WIMBLEDON 

Win Odds - 11/8 [William Hill]

Tzanev (Gk),  Alexander,  Heneghan,  Nightingale,  Hartigan,  Lawrence,  Woodyard (c),  Assal,  Rudoni,  McCormick,  Pressley

SUBS - Oualah (Gk),  Csoka,  Marsh,  Chislett,  Mebude,  Guinness-Walker,  Osew

Burton Albion
Win Odds - 9/4 [William Hill]
Garratt (Gk),  Brayford (c),  Shaughnessy,  Leak,  🟨Hamer,  🟨Oshilaja,  O'Connor,  Chapman,  Lakin,  Smith,  Akins

SUBS - Balcombe (Gk),  Morris,  Powell,  Hemmings,  Patrick,  Jebbison,  Maddox

Selected Bets On This Match;

• Over 1.5 goals in 1st half @2/1.
• Will Nightingale to score at any time @8/1
• Penalty to be awarded and scored @7/2.
• Bookings over 45 points @11/5.

⚽Half Time Score - 0 - 0

First Half Comments;

It's 3pm and the game is underway at Plough Lane and there's an immediate break in play in the opening minute or two as the Burton Albion captain John Brayford is substituted with Bryn Morris coming on as his replacement. The visitors reorganise quickly and are on the front foot early though Nik Tzanev keeps them at bay for now. The rain over the past few days has clearly made the pitch fairly slick and some tackles are being allowed to flow by the referee, hopefully we can capitalise on this. Not many goals around in the league in the opening twenty minutes. No goals in the first half here, a pretty poor contest so far and hopefully will improve in the second forty five.

⚽Full Time Score - 1 - 1  [McCormick 90']  [Hemmings 66']

Match Summary;
Managed to secure a point in the final minutes of the game, a very poor game in all, so must be seen as a point gained, and stops a losing run from growing bigger. Looks like our youngsters could do with the break as the next fixture seems to have been cancelled due to the international break, could be a long autumn and winter ahead for the Dons. 

My Man of the Match - Nik Tzanev, important saves especially after we had equalised to ensure we left with a point.

Attendance - 7,413.  

Today's Referee - Our match referee for this afternoon will be Mr Lee Swabey from Devon. He took charge of our 2-1 defeat to Lincoln last season and fairly lenient with only an average of two bookings a game. Will be assisted on the touchlines by Paul Yates and Michael Webb while our fourth official this afternoon will be Damith Bandara.

Next league one fixture;
  vs MK Franchise FC (Away)
  Saturday 9th October @3:00pm.

* I hear this game is likely to be postponed now due to international call ups, so possibly no game next Saturday.