Notts County‘s hopes of securing automatic promotion were dealt a blow as they fell to a 2-0 defeat against AFC Wimbledon in a crucial League Two clash.
The defeat ended was the Magpies’ second in succession after losing against Barrow at Meadow Lane on Tuesday night. However, this afternoon’s results has had dire consequences on their fight for a top three finish, with Wimbledon leapfrogging Stuart Maynard’s side into fourth.
From the outset, Notts County struggled to impose themselves on the game. The first real chance came to their opponents when Marcus Browne latched onto a lovely pass from Omar Bugiel, but his shot was dragged wide of the left post, much to the relief of goalkeeper Alex Bass.
It didn’t take long for the Dons to make their pressure count. In the 21st minute, Joe Lewis headed home a brilliant delivery from James Tilley to put Wimbledon 1-0 up. The Magpies were left chasing the game, but despite some encouraging spells, they found it difficult to break down Wimbledon’s defence.
Wimbledon Capitalise On First Half Dominance
Notts County’s chances were few and far between in the first half. Browne had another opportunity to equalise after a perfectly weighted pass from Bugiel, but his powerful strike was well saved by Bass. The game slipped further from the visitor’s grasp in the 35th minute when Wimbledon doubled their lead. Alistair Smith unleashed a thunderous right-footed shot from outside the box that flew into the top corner to give the Dons a commanding 2-0 lead.
The second half brought more frustration for County as the hosts continued to dominate. A glorious opportunity for a third came when Browne found top scorer Matty Stevens with a well-executed cut-back. However, the attacker’s effort drifted agonisingly wide, leaving Wimbledon with only a two-goal cushion.
The Nottinghamshire-based side came closest to reducing the deficit in the 80th minute when Alassana Jatta unleashed a fierce strike from close range, only to see it hit the crossbar. That was as close as they came to getting back into the match, and despite some late pressure, the Magpies were unable to break through.
Writer’s View
It was a disappointing afternoon for Notts County, who found themselves second best for much of the match. While they showed flashes of quality, particularly in the final moments when Jatta came close, their inability to convert opportunities left them with nothing to show for their efforts. The loss underscores the competitive nature of the promotion race and the need for consistency in the final stretch of the season. With the race for automatic promotion now more intense than ever, the Magpies will have to quickly regroup and refocus if they are to push for a top three finish.
