DONCASTER R 1
Sterry 79
AFC WIMBLEDON 1
Smith 5
DONCASTER boss Grant McCann was left with mixed feelings after a rollercoaster draw with fellow promotion hopefuls AFC Wimbledon.
The visitors led early through Alistair Smith’s strike but saw skipper Jake Reeves dismissed after 27 minutes for a late challenge on Harry Clifton.
Rovers piled on pressure, but suffered a setback when substitute Billy Sharp was sent off after 72 minutes for an off-the-ball incident, only for Jamie Sterry’s deflected strike to draw them level.
McCann felt his side could have done more with the man advantage, but was pleased to edge closer to the automatic promotion places,
He said: “We want to win our home games, but what is pleasing is that the boys responded from being 1-0down.
“Then we were down to ten men and we had to regroup and we got the goal.
“We had some opportunities where we were just a bit slow in and around the box or didn’t get the shot off.
“It’s a point for us and if we had kept trying to keep passing it or crossing it into the box where there were big bodies, then maybe we wouldn’t have got it – thankfully we had that good bit of quality from Jamie.
“We huffed and puffed a bit when they went down to ten men.
“We improved in the second half, but we probably didn’t pull the trigger enough and kept trying to walk it in.
“We got the equaliser, but I was disappointed with the last ten minutes because it didn’t feel like we were going to score.”
Wimbledon took the lead in the fifth minute as loanee Smith watched Matty Stevens’ cross drift across his body before placing the ball into the far corner.
The game took a twist after 27 minutes when Wimbledon skipper Reeves was dismissed for a high and late challenge on Clifton. Doncaster pushed hard for the leveller with Rob Street and Owen Bailey both going close.
The pattern continued in the second half until Sharp saw red after an off-the-ball incident with Joe Lewis 18 minutes from time.
Sterry pounced in space to lash home from 25 yards via a deflection to equalise ter 79 minutes. af-
Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson labelled his side as ‘outstanding’ as they dug in for a point.
Jackson’s side played for more than 60 minutes with ten men and showed tremendous organisation and resolve to limit Doncaster to few clear-cut opportunities.
Jackson said: “We were outstanding and the lads were magnificent in the way they dug in against the odds and had to do it the hard way.
“I think we deserved to win because of the effort we put in and the way we defended.
“We had to play 11v10 for the best part of 50 minutes and that takes its toll. And we’ve ended the game absolutely going for it and there only looked like one winner for me.
“I just can’t ask any more from the lads – the way they’ve put their bodies on the line, run, pressed, tackled and fought for each other and the shirt. I’m so proud of them.
“I’m gutted for them because when you put that level of performance and you work that hard, to only get a point is harsh.”
DONCASTER: Sharman-Lowe 6, Sterry 8, Anderson 7 (Sharp 71) Wood 7 (McGrath 45, 7) Senior 6, Bailey 6, Broadbent 6, Molyneux 7, Clifton 6 (Sbarra 59, 6) Gibson 7 (Kelly 71, 6) Street 6 (Ironside 70, 6). Subs not used: Lawlor, Ennis.
WIMBLEDON: Goodman 6, Harbottle 6 (Ogundere 84) Lewis 6, Johnson 7, Neufville 7, Reeves 4, Smith 8, Tilley 7, Bugiel 6 (Foyo 69, 6) Kelly 6 (Sasu 84) Stevens 7 (Maycock 30, 6). Subs not used: Ward, Ball, Pigott.
STAR MAN
ALISTAIR SMITH AFC Wimbledon
Cardiff City
Omer Riza is proud of his Cardiff City troops
Championship
OLIVER’S SET FOR BIG STEP
