“It was something for us to really fight for” – AFC Wimbledon boss says his side were driven by the chance to go second in League Two ahead of Gillingham win

Johnnie Jackson says the prospect of going second in League Two gave his side a boost ahead of their 1-0 win against Gillingham yesterday, but downplayed their current position’s long-term significance.

The Dons finished 2024 with a victory at Plough Lane courtesy of a Matty Stevens (pictured) goal which appeared to go in off the in-form striker’s arm.

Wimbledon opened stronger than the visitors, but could not find a way through until the 50th minute, where a whipped corner delivery found Stevens in the box and he bundled it home, seemingly with his right arm.

The Gills piled on the pressure, including seeing a free-kick from ex-Dons midfielder Armani Little narrowly tipped away by Owen Goodman, but they could not find an equaliser before the final whistle.

A controversial decision in Wimbledons’ favour is something of a rarity this season, the side having seen a perfectly good 93rd-minute winner disallowed at Plough Lane just four days earlier against Swindon.

“It’s important to win those tight games if you want to achieve anything,” said Jackson. “Forget where it took us tonight, we’re only halfway through the season and it’s very very tight. But you can’t ignore that we were eighth going into the game and we knew that the carrot, not a prize but just a carrot for tonight, was that we could get ourselves up to second.

“The lads embraced that, they were aware of that and they attacked it. Rather than it becoming a hindrance I think it was something for us to really fight for.”

The Dons boss was coy regarding the nature of his side’s winner, but echoed the sentiment of many fans who see it as justice in the wake of their questionably disallowed goal last week.

Jackson said: “I haven’t seen the goal, we scored a 93rd minute winner here four days ago that was a goal, and that was Matty too, and we’ve had a few others as well. Did one go our way? I don’t know, but if it did, so be it.

“Everyone has kept telling me that these decisions were going to even themselves out and I haven’t believed it, but if it’s the case that we have got one today then yeah.

“What Matty does is get himself free in the box, he creates space in the penalty box and it’s not a coincidence that he’s on the end of these things, so good forward play for me.”

PICTURE: KEITH GILLARD