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Goals from David Clarkson, Tom Parkes and Matt Harrold this afternoon have seen Bristol Rovers secure a victory at the Memorial Stadium for the first time since August.

Clarkson opened the scoring when aiming the ball powerfully past AFC Wimbledon goalkeeper Ros Worner after showing deftness of touch to take Matt Harrold's flick on from a Michael Smith free-kick out of the air in the 17th minute.

Parkes was on hand to double the advantage on the half-hour mark when getting his head on Lee Brown's in-swinging corner to score from inches underneath the crossbar to put Rovers well on their way to a victory in front of home fans since seeing off Northampton Town on August 31.

Neal Ardley's side were more attacking in their intent to make more of a game of it after the break, but some staunch defending from an organised - yet still severely depleted - Rovers reduced AFC Wimbledon to few opportunities before Matt Harrold stepped up to convert from the penalty spot after Ellis Harrison had been felled inside the penalty area in the 87th minute.

It was a win that was timely for manager Ward after a difficult week in which a failure to add new faces in the transfer market ahead of Thursday's transfer deadline had forced to start the game with the same under-strength team that produced a gritty performance to claim a point at Cheltenham Town on Tuesday night.

That both managers decided to deploy formations with only one player to lead their respective lines served to make the opening exchanges a careful affair as the players went about contesting the game in the middle of the pitch.

The first opening for either side took nine minutes to emerge; AFC Wimbledon wide man George Potter forcing a routine save out of Steve Mildenhall at the foot of the post after connecting with a Callum Kennedy cross.

AFC Wimbledon striker Michael Smith, meanwhile, showed some of the evasive ability that has helped him to score nine goals this season when sneaking in behind Will Packwood to create a one-on-one opening in the 14th minute.

Packwood, however, was quick enough to recover to thwart the striker's attempts to get an effort on target from inside the penalty area by producing a well-timed tackle.

A venomous Tom Lockyer effort from distance - that was fumbled and eventually recovered by AFC Wimbledon goalkeeper Worner - in the 16th minute was Rovers' first sight of goal before Clarkson scored his first goal of the season with a neat finish to break the deadlock.

Eliot Richards almost doubled Rovers' lead when presented with a good chance after being played in on goal following a clever pass of the boot of makeshift midfielder Mitch Harding in the 27th minute.

Worner spread himself well to deny the striker from close range, but the goalkeeper was left helpless to prevent Parkes from adding Rovers' second goal of the afternoon on the half-hour mark.

Ardley was positive in a bid to see his side claw their way back into the game. Luke Moore was introduced in the middle of the park to replace the defensively-minded Peter Sweeney, while the switch to a back three allowed Kaid Mohamed to come in off the wing to play up alongside Smith.

The move served to offer AFC Wimbledon a sustained spell of pressure for the first time, yet, some stubborn defending from Rovers meant that possession failed to produce meaningful chances.

Wide-man Potter looped one volley onto the top of the net behind Mildenhall - but it was Rovers who, in fact, had looked the more likely to add another goal; Richards flashing one effort into the side-netting from close range before sending a blistering effort from all of 30 yards just the wrong side of a post.

Ward sought to make sure that the two-goal lead would remain by throwing defensive midfielder Ollie Clarke on in place of Oliver Norburn for the final 20 minutes.

Ardley had still to really see his side create any chances worth mention before midfielder Sammy Moore's late challenge on Clarke was deemed worthy of a second yellow card in the 80th minute. Any faint hopes that remained of a comeback were finally dashed in the 87th minute when Harrold tucked away from the penalty spot.

Rovers (4-5-1): Mildenhall; Smith, Packwood, Parkes, Brown; Richards (Harrison, 85) Lockyer, Harding, Norburn (Clarke, 68), Clarkson; Harrold. Subs: Gough, Green, Keary, Lucas, Southway.

AFC Wimbledon (4-5-1): Worner; Fuller, Bennett, Frampton, Kennedy (Sainte-Luce, 73); Mohamed, Pell, S Moore, Sweeney (L Moore, 46) Potter (Midson, 63); Smith. Subs: Brown, Fenlon, Sheringham, Weston.

Referee: Gavin Ward

Attendance: 5,860 (572)