Terry Brown reckons midfielder Sammy Moore has gone from fringe player to automatic selection after a stunning start to his career with the Dons.

Moore was on target twice on Tuesday night as AFC Wimbledon won 5-2 at fellow promotion hopefuls Mansfield Town, quickly casting aside the disappointment of Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Forest Green Rovers.

And boss Brown admits the form of the 23-year-old former Brentford man, who has four goals to his name this season, has been a real bonus.

He said: “Sammy Moore has been a total revelation for us.

“I admit he was my last pick out of all the players we had on trial and to say he has exceeded expectations is an understatement.

“He has many attributes as a footballer that are rare - he can run all day, he puts his foot in when needed and he scores goals, and he has become a very important part of the way we go about things.

“I think it is fair to say the team at the moment is fairly different from how I envisioned it at the start of the season - with the likes of Sammy, Christian Jolley, Ed Harris and Fraser Franks making their presence felt.

“It is an absolute pleasure for me to be working with such talented youngsters.”

Jolley, Danny Kedwell and Ryan Jackson were also on target at Mansfield, with Jolley backing up his strike at the weekend.

And Brown admitted the win had given his side a real lift.

He added: “I do not think many teams, if any, will go to Mansfield and score five goals so it was a great performance.

“At the moment we seem to be two good performances and then a dodgy one, but to be honest I would take six points out of nine for the rest of the season.

“For us to go to a side we know will be up there at the end of the season and get a result like that gives us a massive boost.”

Wimbledon face another long trip on Saturday when they head to Wrexham, a side also in good form.

And the Dons boss is fully prepared for a thorough examination in North Wales.

Brown added: “Wrexham have really turned their season around over the past few weeks and it will be tough.

“We only got a point off them in two games last year and it is a very difficult place to go.

“But we will be going there in a confident mood and if we can produce a result and performance like Mansfield we will be fine.”

AFC Wimbledon’s next three matches: Oct 9 Wrexham (a), 16 Gateshead (h), 30 Darlington (h)