View from Kingsmeadow, Volume 46: Dons Throw Away Point Against Bristol

Terry Brown's AFC Wimbledon looked to pick themselves up from a disastrous start to the year against Crawley when they took on Bristol Rovers on Saturday.

"Obviously it was a disappointing result last night and, to be honest, we could have no complaints about losing to a very proficient Crawley side," Brown said last weekend to the media. "I thought they dominated most of the play and although we took the lead twice on the evening, we were never really comfortable.

"This is definitely a game where I am looking forward to getting the DVD and looking to see where we can improve as, on the night, Crawley pressed us, stopped us playing and as I said, dominated most of the possession.

"The positives for us were one or two good individual performances and the fact that we scored two very good goals with Luke Moores' in particular being the pick of all five.

"I won't be drawing too many drastic conclusions from this game as I do feel that this was a particularly difficult fixture played at a ridiculously early time of the season. It is my job now to lift the morale of the players on Monday and ensure that we have a positive four days' training."

On Monday, Brown noted that a few players did not reach full match fitness as for yet.

"Mat Mitchel-King resumed light training today and is hopeful to resume full training on Thursday after hopefully positive results from his medical tests," Brown said to reporters. "Sammy Moore and Chris Bush completed ninety minutes on Saturday at Godalming but unfortunately Lee Minshull's dead leg and James Mulley's back make them currently unable to participate in contact sports at the moment.

"Charles Ademeno is still having difficulties with a damaged heel and on these hard grounds it makes it difficult for him to do too much."

After the Dons picked the wrong time to play a three-minute stretch of Sunday league football in their return to Football League action, they lost 3-2 to Bristol Rovers.

Jamie Stuart scored for the Dons in the 40th minute of play and substitute Charles Ademeno equalized in the 69th minute. However, they conceded a penalty in the 86th minute thanks to an unforgivable handball from Brett Johnson.

Thus, AFC Wimbledon paid the price for playing below their level in the first half and need to get in the win column if they want to build some much-needed confidence early this season.

Up next for the Dons is a road match with Dagenham and Redbridge on Aug. 13. Kickoff at Victoria Road is scheduled for 7 a.m. PT/10 a.m. ET.