Jackson’s Dons Prepare for Crucial Catch-Up Fixtures

AFC Wimbledon manager Johnnie Jackson, currently in his third season at the helm, expressed his belief that playing all their outstanding matches will provide a more accurate understanding of their potential season. The Dons currently sit in 10th place, having played fewer games than any of the teams above them due to a pitch flooding incident in September. They are scheduled to play the first of these postponed matches at home against Accrington Stanley on Tuesday (19:45 GMT). “We’re a good team, but we’re three games behind because of what happened with the pitch troubles,” Jackson stated. He added, “We went into the Barrow game 14th and it didn’t feel like we had a 14th-position start, but we have to make those up.” The recent victory at Barrow marked their first away win since August, though their performance at the Cherry Red Records Stadium has been consistently strong. A win against Accrington would elevate Wimbledon back into the play-off positions, as they are set to compete in three league games over eight days, while most other teams in the division will only play once. This concentrated schedule means The Dons anticipate gaining a clearer perspective on their league standing by the end of the current month. “What happened was out of our control,” Jackson informed BBC Sport. He further elaborated, “At that stage, we were in a really good place, looking forward to two home games that we didn’t get the opportunity to play. That meant we have fallen a little bit behind. “I think we’re a good team. Ask anyone who has played us and they will say they’ve had a proper game. It doesn’t matter what people think on the outside but we know what we are on the inside and we are just trying to crack on.”