AFC Wimbledon will be bidding to recover from a recent stumble when they continue their League Two campaign at home to Crawley Town on Tuesday night.
The home side will enter the contest off the back of a 1-1 draw with Morecambe, while Crawley beat relegation-threatened Forest Green Rovers 2-0 on Saturday afternoon.
Match preview
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AFC Wimbledon are eighth in the League Two table, boasting a record of 12 wins, 11 draws and nine defeats from their 32 league matches this season to collect 47 points.
Entering the final straight, the Dons are in a strong position to challenge for the playoffs, sitting just one point behind seventh-placed Harrogate Town, but they will need to find a run of consistency.
Indeed, Johnnie Jackson's side have only managed to win one of their last four league matches and one of their last five in all competitions, which was a 2-0 success over Barrow on February 10.
AFC Wimbledon will enter this match off the back of a 1-1 draw with Morecambe on Saturday, with Omar Bugiel sending the hosts ahead early in the second period before Chris Stokes levelled the scores.
The Dons have won seven of their 15 home games during the 2023-24 campaign, losing just four, and they will be welcoming a Crawley outfit with just four away league wins to their name this term.
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Crawley, meanwhile, will enter this match off the back of a much-needed 2-0 success over Forest Green Rovers on Saturday, with Danilo Orsi and Klaidi Lolos on the scoresheet.
The Red Devils had been on a five-game winless run in all competitions entering the match, demonstrating the need to collect all three points against a side in the relegation zone.
Scott Lindsey's side are currently 15th in the League Two table, boasting a record of 13 wins, four draws and 14 defeats from 31 matches to see them collect 43 points.
Crawley, who finished 22nd in League Two last season, have no relegation fears this term, and they are only five points outside of the playoff positions at this stage of the campaign.
The Red Devils beat AFC Wimbledon 1-0 in the corresponding match last term, but they suffered a 2-1 defeat when the two teams met in the reverse fixture earlier this season.
Team News
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All five of AFC Wimbledon's changes in the latter stages of Saturday's contest were tactical decisions, so head coach Jackson has no fresh injury concerns for this match.
Some bumps and bruises will need to be assessed, but the manager could potentially keep faith with the side that took to the field for the first whistle of the 1-1 draw.
Bugiel has scored seven times in League Two this season and is again set to lead the line for the hosts.
As for Crawley, there is likely to be a change in an advanced area on Tuesday, as Lolos's capped a strong performance off the bench with a goal, so he is now likely to be included in the first XI.
Head coach Lindsey is set to keep select a 3-4-3 formation once again, with Lolos potentially operating to the left.
Orsi has been comfortably's the team's main source of goals this season with 14, and the 27-year-old will again lead the Crawley line on Tuesday night.
AFC Wimbledon possible starting lineup:
Bass; Ogundere, Balmer, Brown, Currie; Tilley, Ball, Little, Curtis; Kelly, Bugiel
Crawley Town possible starting lineup:
Addai; Ransom, Conroy, Wright; Tsaroulla, Williams, L Kelly, J Kelly; Lolos, Orsi, Darcy
We say: AFC Wimbledon 2-1 Crawley Town
AFC Wimbledon and Crawley finished 21st and 22nd respectively in League Two last season, so there has been huge improvement from both this term, and we are expecting a tight match on Tuesday, but AFC Wimbledon should just have another quality to secure a vital three points.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Matt Law
