At the Cherry Red Records Stadium, AFC Wimbledon defeated Barnsley 2-0 to get back to winning ways. The difference was made by goals from Antwoine Hackford and Matty Stevens in each half.
Shortly after the close loss to Cardiff City, AFC Wimbledon hosted Barnsley for their second home game in four days at the Cherry Red Records Stadium
Marcus Browne returned to the starting lineup for Danilo Orsi, and centre-back Riley Harbottle replaced Joe Lewis, who was substituted early in the Cardiff match.
The Dons had the game's first opportunity, but the Tykes entered the match in excellent form, having won all five of their games this season across all competitions.
On the left side, Steve Seddon worked the ball to Myles Hippolyte, who then found Alistair Smith, keeping the ball alive. The No. 12's superb footwork allowed him to get past a challenge, but his shot missed the mark.
Moments after Smith's effort, Barnsley had an opportunity of their own, but Davis Keillor-Dunn was stopped in his tracks by an incredible comeback from Isaac Ogundere.
The Dons scored the game's first goal just over a quarter of an hour into the match. Hippolyte was just stopped by Murphy Cooper's fingertips after Nathan Asiimwe beat his man to set up a cross into the box and clear it out into his path.
A few minutes later, inside the area, Hippolyte created another opportunity with a volley into the ground that went over Cooper and just missed the crossbar.
Halfway through the first half, Nathan Bishop was called upon to stop veteran striker David McGoldrick. With the entire goal in sight, Nathaniel Ogbeta surged forward down the left side and squared it to McGoldrick, but Bishop expertly stopped his sidefooted attempt.
Only a few minutes later, the Dons were wheeling away in joy, making the Tykes and McGoldrick regret not taking the chance. Asiimwe's cross was kept alive by Hippolyte's flick on, and Matty Stevens was the first to respond, hammering the first goal inside the six-yard box.
With "Super Matty Stevens" reverberating throughout Plough Lane, his third goal in five games handed the Dons a well-earned advantage and sent the crowd into raptures.
Barnsley's response after falling behind was a feeble effort by Patrick Kelly, which Bishop handled with ease after it was hit from a distance. In addition to denying another effort, Harbottle's resolute defence stopped Adam Phillips' attempt on the box's edge.
Cooper in the Barnsley goal stopped another attempt by Stevens, who came very close to scoring for the Dons.
A few minutes later, Cooper just stopped Harbottle's cross after a well-executed play down the left. Barnsley increased the pressure in an attempt to equalise as the game got closer to halftime.
Ogundere and Johnson both made crucial blocks within the box, but the Dons' defence again denied them. Just before halftime, the returning Browne's goalbound shot from approximately 25 yards out was blocked, depriving the Dons of a two-goal lead at the interval.
Wimbledon got off to a strong start in the second half, pressing forward to find the second. Browne and Hippolyte worked nicely together in the build-up, but when they tried to muster an effort, it was too many passes.
Kelly of Barnsley and captain Luca Connell both had shots on goal in an attempt to tie the score, but Kelly's shot was expertly stopped and Connell's missed the post.
Just after the hour, Keillor-Dunn and McGoldrick had more opportunities for the visitors. Bishop did a good job of blocking Keillor-Dunn's cross-come shot across the face of goal, while Johnson held his ground to block McGoldrick's attempt.
Supported by the Plough Lane supporters, the Dons persevered and scored the second goal. Smith's accurate ball put Antwoine Hackford, a second-half substitution, between the two center-backs, and the striker made no mistake with a well-taken shot that struck the post.
After gaining a well-earned two-goal lead, Barnsley continued to knock on the door, so it wasn't all smooth sailing. When McGoldrick's spectacular overhead kick inside the box cannoned back off the post and out, he almost got one back.
A third appeared imminent for the Dons when Omar Bugiel, who in as a second-half substitute, failed to get the ball out from under his feet when it was sent in behind, and Hackford had another goalbound attempt blocked.
Bishop, who was awarded the Fire Door Compliance Consultants Ltd. Player of the Match, had to make another stop low down at his near post in the 81st minute to deny Keillor-Dunn.
In the remaining time, Bugiel had another opportunity to increase the Dons' lead, but the No. 9's left-footed curling attempt in the box went against the post.
The audience was in full voice to support the Dons as they easily completed the four minutes of extra time. The focus will now shift to Reading for the EFL Cup's second round away game.
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