AFC Wimbledon

AFC Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson blamed their FA Cup first-round exit at Crewe Alexandra on a lack of "quality in decisive moments".

The Dons were beaten 2-1 with Charlie McNeill's strike from the halfway line putting the hosts in front. Crewe doubled their lead in the second half before the Dons scored a late consolation through right-back Andy Yiadom.

"It's obviously a bad result. We wanted to go through and we haven't done that," Jackson told BBC Radio London.

"It's a game that we should at least force to extra time. We had long enough spells where we were well on top, but didn't show enough quality in decisive moments.

"Probably the one bit of quality in the game is their opening goal. It gives them a leg up in the game and that ended up being a difference.

"We're out of the cup and obviously that stings."

Jackson felt his players should have prevented McNeill's 50-yard goal and was also frustrated by their inability to convert their own chances.

"Well played to the lad, it's a great bit of skill, well executed," he said of Crewe's opener.

"We should deal with the situation miles better. We forced them long from the goal kick and I expect my centre-halves to be able to deal with that situation, but we don't and it allows the lad the opportunity to see the keeper off the line.

"It's a great goal from his point of view. Wholly avoidable from ours.

"That's a moment of quality we didn't show. We've had 19 shots on goal, we've got to the final third numerous times and put a lot of crosses into the box.

"We need more to show for it than one goal."

AFC Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson says his players should take encouragement from their performance against Stockport County.

The Dons took an early second-half lead at Edgeley Park on Saturday through Jayden Stockley, which they held until Jack Diamond's 64th-minute equaliser. Ethan Ennis then scored the winner for the hosts.

The victory leaves Stockport in second in League One, with the Dons down in 18th after a run of seven games without a win, but Jackson is not concerned after recent displays.

"The last two performances have been a lot better. We've looked more like a Wimbledon team," he told BBC Radio London.

"We want to pick up points as well. I think we will if we continue to show up like we did [against Stockport].

"I think we can take encouragement from the fact that we caused them plenty of issues. They did to us as well and we just come out the wrong side of a close one."

AFC Wimbledon are next in action on Saturday in the FA Cup first round, away at Crewe Alexandra, who are fourth in League Two.

AFC Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson says he was pleased with the fight his team showed in the 1-1 draw with Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday.

The Dons came into the game off the back of three straight defeats in League One and conceded eight goals without reply in their past two matches.

But against Wycombe they took the lead through Jayden Stockley and, although this was cancelled out on the hour mark by Fred Onyedinma, Jackson was a happy man.

"[It was] probably a fair result, on balance," Jackson told BBC Radio London.

"They had some moments, we had some moments. But it was a miles improved performance from us on the last two.

"Obviously we wanted a win, but it was important we didn't lose as well.

"My message to the group was that - before we talk about shape, tactics, what we want to look like with and without the ball - it's about running, fighting, being hard to beat and coming up against your man and trying to win some duels.

"The response from my team was good in that regard."

AFC Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson said Mansfield Town showed more desire than his team after they were beaten 3-0 at home on Tuesday.

Michael Smith scored twice for the Stags in the first half-hour as Jackson's side suffered a third straight league defeat.

"They had more energy than us, they looked like they wanted it more in that first half," Jackson told BBC Radio London.

"In that period, they showed a lot more desire to be front-footed and play forward and run forward.

"When you see the reaction in the second half, and we're doing all the things that they did to us, it's hard to take that we didn't start the game like that.

"It shouldn't take a rocket at half-time to [make the players] come out and react.

"We did but it was too little, too late. The start of the game was nowhere near good enough."

The Dons are now 16th in League One before on Saturday playing host to Wycombe Wanderers, who sit one place and two points above them.

Jackson is keen to see his side revert to the style of football that has become their trademark under him.

"Perhaps we've gone away from the Wimbledon that's got us success, which is front-foot football, forward balls, forward runs, play in their half, maybe be a bit more direct," he added.

AFC Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson says anyone selected for Tuesday's League One game with Mansfield Town "needs to know they're lucky" to be in the team.

His comments came after Saturday's 5-0 loss at Sheffield Wednesday - the Dons' heaviest league defeat since losing by the same score at Peterborough last November.

"[It's] a really good thing that we don't have to stew on that for a week," Jackson told BBC Radio London.

"We have to just focus on Mansfield now and pick a team that we feel can hurt them.

"But anyone who's in that team needs to know they're lucky they get the opportunity to start the game, because I don't think anyone can honestly say on the performance [at Hillsborough] they deserve that opportunity.

"When we've had one of these types of days, we've seen a reaction from the group, so I can take a little bit of solace in the fact we normally react in a really positive way and that's what we need to do.

"We've got two home games now to try to right some of the wrongs."

After Wimbledon's game with Mansfield, they will host Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday.