AFC WIMBLEDON vs PORTSMOUTH - LEAGUE ONE HOME FIXTURE 2021/22 SEASON [18th JANUARY]

Tuesday 18th January 2022  KO 7:45pm

AFC Wimbledon will host their rearranged League One game against Portsmouth, the tie was cancelled before Christmas due to a spate of Covid in the Pompey camp and is one of the few additional games in hand we have on most of the opposition above us.

After last weekends 0-0 draw with Morecambe we are currently in 20th position in the League One table on 26 points. That draw against Morecambe on Saturday at least stopped the run of defeats and we did have a better effort going forwards while a clean sheet was also essential, not sure we will have as much success against a Portsmouth side that looks to get back to winning ways after a defeat on Saturday themselves. 

Speaking after the 0-0 draw on Saturday vs Morecambe Mark Robinson was very encouraged by Wimbledon's performance "I honestly felt it was another step in the right direction," said Robbo. "Against MK with 10 men the intensity was there and the intensity was good today. We just said that we have to be relentless in everything we do and I felt that for a 30-minute spell in the second-half it was us and what we are about. We were getting at them continuously when the ball was coming out, we were filling up the pitch, and going again. It was just decision-making and the final ball that was lacking. If we keep going like that we will be more than fine".
Latest Team News - Nesta Guinness-Walker returns to our squad for tonight’s League One clash with Portsmouth, but Head Coach Mark Robinson will have to make do without fellow defenders Ben Heneghan and Henry Lawrence.

While Nesta Guinness-Walker has completed a one-match suspension after his sending off last week, the team will still have to make do without defender Paul Kalambayi, midfielder Anthony Hartigan and striker Aaron Pressley.

Recent League One Results
AFC Wimbledon  0 - 0 Morecambe
Portsmouth  1 - 2 Franchise FC

Onto today's game itself this Tuesday evening in League One and our opponents today, Portsmouth are currently managed by Danny Cowley who took over from Kenny Jacket in March 2021. After their opening 24 fixtures they sit in 9th place on 37 points. One of the many 'big' name clubs that find themselves in the third tier of football, should have got out of this before now but such is life, they certainly have begun this season well and ought to be a strong play off challenger at least. They were up until the weekend on an unbeaten run of eight games (although lost in the FA Cup vs Harrogate) but then played 'them' and lost 1-2 at home, so might be a wounded beast and unlikely to be a pushover here even on a cold miserable January midweek game. Up front they have Marcus Harness who scored his 10th league goal of the season in the 2-0 home victory over lowly Morecambe. While John Marquis has recently left for Lincoln City.

Head to Head

Our head to head form against Portsmouth since our return to the league as AFC Wimbledon amounts to seventeen matches, we've only managed six wins in that time our first ever encounter was a thumping 4-0 win for the Dons back in 2013, one draw and Pompey have an impressive ten victories. The latest match ended in a 2-1 win for Portsmouth at Fratton Park.

Starting XI's [Confirmed]

AFC WIMBLEDON 

Win Odds - 9/5 [William Hill]

Tzanev (Gk),  Alexander,  Nightingale,  Csóka,  Osew,  🟨Woodyard (c),  Marsh,  Rudoni,  🟨McCormick,  Awokoya-Mebude,  Palmer

SUBS - Oualah (Gk),  Assal,  Chislett,  Ablade,  Guinness-Walker,  Kaja,  Cosgrave

PORTSMOUTH
Win Odds - 29/20 [William Hill]
Bazunu (Gk),  Carter,  Raggett (c),  Ogilvie,  🟨Romeo,  Morrell,  Thompson,  Brown,  🟨Harness,  Walker,  Hirst

SUBS - Bass (Gk),  Robertson,  Williams,  Tunnicliffe,  Curtis,  Freeman,  Jacobs

Selected Bets On This Match;

• Over 1.5 goals in 1st half @9/4.
• Ayoub Assal to score at any time @3/1
• Penalty to be awarded and scored @7/2.
• Bookings over 45 points @11/5.

⚽Half Time Score - 0 - 0

First Half Comments;

We will update things during Tuesday evening, with the game due to kick off at 7:45pm. Wimbledon get us underway, winning an immediate corner and having the first shot on target for a change, hopefully that is a statement of intent. Couple of bookings this half, maybe the Pompey striker Harness will need to be careful in future with his challenges. If the Dons started the half well then the visitors are certainly finishing things better.

⚽Full Time Score - 0 - 0

Match Summary;

Another hard fought point against decent opposition so although we miss the chance to move up the table, we didn't lose and it's another clean sheet which is a positive sign. 

My Man of the Match - Nik Tzanev.

Attendance - 8,086.

Today's Referee - Our match referee for this afternoon will be Mr James Oldham from Derbyshire, was appointed to the National League in 2018, and then the following season took charge of games in the EFL, has been averaging around four bookings a game this season (dished out 10 on the opening day when Stevenage played Barrow). Will have some assistance from both Nicholas Cooper and Kevin Howick on the side lines while our fourth official today is Adrian Tranter

Next league one fixture;
  vs Burton Albion (Away)
  Saturday 22nd January @3:00pm.