Ali Al-Hamadi missed a penalty for the second week running, which ultimately led to AFC Wimbledon gaining another point, adding to their opening-day draw at Grimsby Town.
Player of the Year
The Dons ace marksman won the clubs Player of the Year award last season, despite only joining the southwest London club in January. He netted 10 times in 19 total appearances, and even though the team struggled in the latter half of the campaign he showed enough to convince fans that when he’s on his game he will be a contender for top goal scorer this term, in a season that has seen big changes with 10 new players into the squad during the summer.
Like most players, they are their own worst critics and with scoring goals his bread and butter, he will be kicking himself that he hasn’t got on the scoresheet yet, especially as he has been given two glorious chances from the spot in each of the opening two games.
Halfway through the second half at Grimsby Town last week, and with the game goalless in a tight affair, he hit a tame kick that was saved. The Dons managed to gain a point though, so it wasn’t too costly.
Wrexham hype
This weekend saw the visit of Wrexham and the hype that has followed them for the past couple of seasons. It was a packed house at Plough Lane, and with the Dons 1-0 at the break due to a fortuitous, deflected goal, they started the brighter of the two teams in the second half. It was a game of few clear-cut chances for the team that narrowly avoided relegation last season, but when they were awarded a penalty with just over 20 minutes left it seemed they were on track to gain a deserved equaliser. However, Al-Hamadi hit another, by his standards, a poor effort which was saved by veteran goalkeeper Ben Foster.
Despite this setback, the Iraqi international was soon trying to make amends and a mazy run resulted in a shot that Foster did well to keep out. Wimbledon were not to be denied though and they were awarded another penalty. With Al-Hamadi still on the pitch he didn’t go for the ball, and instead, James Tilley took the kick and fired the Dons level.
Dons in good form
It has been a solid start to the season for Wimbledon, the two league draws on either side of a comeback win against Coventry City in the Carabao Cup, and they will look to take the positives into the next game against Colchester United this Tuesday evening. The two missed penalties haven’t ended up leading to defeats which in the form of the early part of this calendar could have been the case. Fans can only hope that the much-improved efforts continue and that a first win this season is coming soon, and that these potential dropped points won’t come back to haunt them in the coming weeks.
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