AFC Wimbledon 2-0 Eastbourne Borough

Wimbledon’s impressive home form is keeping the club in the Blue Square Premier play-off picture.

They may not be playing the scintillating football their fans crave, but another success at Kingsmeadow keeps them very much in touch.

And while one of their big rivals for the top five, Rushden & Diamonds, were scoring eight, manager Terry Brown says he has seen enough to know the workman like Dons can play a big part in the promotion shake up.

Wimbledon won their sixth in seven on home soil with goals from Glenn Poole and their inspirational striker Danny Kedwell.

Both goals came minutes from the end of each half and Brown was delighted with his team’s killer instinct.

The manager labelled this game a must win and his team didn’t let him down despite still not being at their dazzling best.

Brown said: “It was a really big win for us here, really big. We just couldn’t afford to drop points and we were worthy winners I thought overall.

“We needed the goal before half time and we got it. Eastbourne defended well but our home form is strong and we knew that if we kept patient and played out football that the goals would arrive.

“I thought we were always in control of the game and the win keeps us in touch with all the other sides chasing the play-offs.”

The Dons, in poor form after collecting just one point from their last three outings, had the better of the first half with the visitors offering little in attack all afternoon.

Wimbledon had to wait until the 42nd minute of the match to go in front. They raced ahead when Ricky Wellard played in Poole and he scored his first goal for the club from close range.

Kedwell got his 19th Blue Square Premier goal of the campaign to make the points safe with five minutes of the low key game remaining.

He headed Derek Duncan’s cross in to confirm Wimbledon’s win – a victory that moves them to within two points of fifth place Kettering Town, who drew at Oxford United.

The good news for the Dons is that after next Saturday’s massive match at stuttering York City they then have three home matches on the spin. Barrow, Rushden and Wrexham all come to Kingsmeadow before the end of the month.

Eastbourne manager Garry Wilson said: “I was disappointed that we conceded so close to half time. We had done well up until then. In the second half I thought we came back into it but didn’t create enough. I can’t have too many complaints.”