2014 Getty Images
Manager Neal Ardley was full of praise for his AFC Wimbledon side who crowned his two years in charge with perhaps the best week of his fledgling managerial career.
The south Londoners, who saw off Milton Keynes Dons in the Johnstone Paint's Trophy on Tuesday night, this time beat top of the league Bury by the same 3-2 scoreline which left Ardley thrilled with his team.
'After the joy of midweek this was the perfect game,' he said. 'We were keen to avoid any sense of 'After the Lord Mayor's Show', we had to be on it and we delivered. But credit to Bury, who never made us feel comfortable.'
Ardley's team have now taken the maximum 15 points from the five games they have played against teams in the top eight - while they have just one point from teams in the bottom third of the league.
The Dons boss added: 'We're normally alright against the top of the league. Burton came here unbeaten and we beat them, obviously now Bury and we go to Wycombe next week who have now gone top today.'
Wimbledon took a two goal lead into the break with a volley and header from Adebayo Akinfenwa.
Danny Mayor halved the deficit early in the second half but Matt Tubbs got his eighth goal of the season - but his first for nearly a month - to restore the two goal advantage.
'Tubbsy hates not scoring,' said Ardley after the game. 'The last three games he hasn't scored in he has had at least 12 clear cut chances - today he had less chances but got his goal from a routine we worked on, which they carried out to the letter.'
Bury came back into the game late on with a penalty won by Chris Hussey and converted by Ryan Lowe - which Ardley condemned as 'soft' - but they could not fashion an equaliser.
'This season we are trying to get better and I am trying to get better as a manager,' Ardley added. 'But we have a wonderful board who see every aspect of what we are trying to do behind the scenes, and we think it will turn out alright.'
AFC Wimbledon: Shea, Fuller, Smith, Bennett, Barrett, S Moore (Frampton), Rigg, Francomb (Beere), Tubbs (Azeez), Akinfenwa, Bulman
Attendance: 4,268 (386 Bury fans)
Man of the Match: George Francomb
0 comments:
Post a Comment