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Dons 2-3 Stevenage

I’m not sure which is the most disappointing aspect for Dons fans: the second half capitulation at home for the second week in a row, or the sheer predictability of once again ceding maximum points against an out-of-form side. Ardley himself has highlighted the Dons’ poor home record last season as one of his target areas for improvement and yet the Dons have just a point to show from their opening from three League games at Kingsmeadow this season. While the frustration of consecutive defeats against struggling teams reminds us that we continue to be the side who gift morale-boosting wins to beleaguered opposition. And with manager-less Carlisle up next, still look for a first win to get their season going, the inevitability of it all is like a slow motion car crash.

Stevenage were true to expectations, unattractive and physical but effective. They were particularly successful in the dark arts of game and referee management: wasting time, stealing yards at free kicks and throw ins (despite the Dons being penalised for the same), collapsing spectacularly under tame challenges and taking every opportunity to pressure the referee to award free kicks and cards. It continues to be a source of irritation that we’re so naive about this side of the game and are so susceptible to teams who do it and it is critical that the players wise up to this as we don’t (currently?) have a large noisy stadium full of vocal support to influence referees towards awarding decisions to the home side.

Once again, though it needn’t have been this way with the Dons taking the lead on the half hour mark through Tubbs’ 4th goal in 5 games. (We must be top the points lost from winning positions form table.) With George Francomb aggravating a pre-existing toe injury during the pre-match warm up, there was a rare start for Kevin Sainte-Luce and once again he stood out as an attacking force, his direct dribbling creating the opener for goal-machine Tubbs. That was as good as it got though for the Dons and Stevenage were level shortly before half time when a string of marginal free kick decisions presented them with an opportunity within shooting range from which the rebound was scored.

Ardley was clearly over-anxious to avoid a repeat of the impotent start to the second half against Hartlepool and made what for many supporters was a perplexing and ultimately telling tactical change. Removing KSL, the most direct and attacking player on the pitch, and introducing Phillips as a third centre-back in an attempted 3-5-2 proved to be a crucial tactical error. Ardley’s refusal to allow KSL to play for 90 minutes is baffling and with the Guadeloupe on the pitch, the Dons’ bench looked somewhat bare with limited attack-minded options (which questions the wisdom in allowing Arthur to go out on loan, now extended until January, particularly at Conference level).

The switch created a period of disorganisation during which Stevenage took the lead from a long range cross-come-shot that really should have been tipped over by the increasingly beleaguered James Shea. While the young ‘keeper is undoubtedly a good shot-stopper, his lack of height coupled with a lack of confidence in commanding his box in recent games give cause for concern. Ardley was reported in the local press last week as saying that the no. 1 jersey was Shea’s to lose but no doubt he will stubbornly stick by his first choice keeper despite Worner proving himself last season to be a decent keeper who can command his penalty area.

Thereafter the Dons lacked any penetration with neither “wing-back” pushing on sufficiently. The team looked more like a defensive-minded 5-3-2 and yet still managing to concede a third. The experiment was subsequently abandoned with the Dons switching to a back four when Azeez was brought on to chase the game but, despite a 97th minute consolation goal, the result was irretrievable.

Match ratings:
Shea 5
Fuller 6
Kennedy 6
Bulman 5
Bennett 6
Barrett 7
Sainte-Luce (7Phillips 6)
Moore 5
Tubbs 7
Akinfenwa 6
Rigg 6 (Azeez 6)

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