Both looking to secure back-to-back wins after successful weekends, AFC Wimbledon will do battle with relegation-threatened Grimsby Town at The Cherry Red Records Stadium on Tuesday night in League Two.
The Dons recorded a much-need victory over arch rivals MK Dons on Saturday afternoon, whilst the Mariners were able to best fellow strugglers Forest Green Rovers on the same day.
Match preview
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Following five-straight matches in League Two without picking up maximum points, AFC Wimbledon celebrated the sweetest of victories on Saturday afternoon at a sold-out Plough Lane, where the hosts managed to achieve just their second-ever victory over arch nemesis MK Dons.
The Dons manager Johnnie Jackson described the afternoon as the best he has experienced in football, and that statement is well justified, with a 94th-minute winner from substitute Ronan Curtis securing a win against a side that was born from the death of the original Wimbledon.
After putting a brilliant halt on a two-game losing streak on the weekend, AFC Wimbledon have moved up to 10th in the League Two standings, just four points behind Stephen Clemence's seventh-placed Gillingham side, who currently occupy the lowest of the playoff positions.
Wimbledon's push for a top-seven berth this season was severely hampered in the January by the departure of leading marksman Ali Al Hamadi to Premier League-chasing Ipswich Town, with the Iraq international netting 13 goals in 23 fourth-tier matches before transferring to Portman Road.
All five of the Dons' victories across all competitions since Christmas Day have arrived at their Plough Lane base, with their most-recent away success coming on December 22, when Josh Davison and now-Tractor Boy Hamadi struck against Crawley at Broadfield Stadium in West Sussex.
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Grimsby gave their chances of avoiding the drop to non-league football a massive boost on the weekend, beating basement dwellers Forest Green Rovers by a single goal at Blundell Park, where chances for either of the fourth-tier strugglers were few and far between.
The Mariners secured maximum points in the opening eight minutes of the contest through centre-back Harvey Rodgers - netting for the first time since joining from Accrington Stanley last summer - with the 27-year-old's strike being the only shot on target in the entire match.
As that statistic alludes to - and as Grimsby manager David Artell admitted - the Saturday success over Steve Cotterill's men was not pretty but vitally important for the campaign of Grimsby, who have finally tasted victory in the new calendar year after seven failed attempts.
A cool 11th-placed finish on their return to League Two in 2022-23 suggested that the Mariners could kick on and push for the playoffs this time around, but Tuesday's visitors are embroiled in a fight to maintain their fourth-tier status, with Artell's side six points ahead of 23rd-placed Forest Green.
Speaking of remaining at this level, Danny Rose helped Stevenage secure a spot in League One last term before switching to Blundell Park in the summer, and the 30-year-old is currently leading Grimsby's Golden Boot race with an impressive 12 goals from 30 fourth-tier appearances.
Team News
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AFC Wimbledon remain light of options in their backline due to the absences of defensive duo Ryan Johnson and Joe Lewis, but manager Jackson seems to have found a solution.
Josh Neufville and Jack Currie started as wing-backs for Saturday's win over MK Dons, and the same formation should be expected on Tuesday night.
Returning from an injury lay-off, centre-back Kofi Balmer started the victory on the weekend and should play alongside John-Joe O'Toole and Lee Brown once again.
After keeping a rare clean sheet last time out at home, Grimsby are expected to keep the same back three of Toby Mullarkey, Douglas Tharme and goalscorer Rodgers.
Leading marksman Rose and Donovan Wilson were not directly involved in the decisive goal on Saturday but played a vital part in the contest, meaning that the pair should be able to keep Rekeil Pyke on the bench.
AFC Wimbledon possible starting lineup:
Bass; Balmer, O'Toole, Brown; Neufville, Reeves, Little, Currie; Tilley, Kelly, Bugiel
Grimsby Town possible starting lineup:
Cartwright; Clifton, Mullarkey, Tharme, Rodgers, Hume; Holohan, Thompson, Andrews; Wilson, Rose
We say: AFC Wimbledon 1-0 Grimsby Town
AFC Wimbledon are on cloud nine after a historic victory over their arch rivals on the weekend, and we believe that the Dons can carry the positive momentum into this midweek clash.
Grimsby had to really scrap for a narrow win over fellow strugglers Forest Green last time out, and we think that the Mariners will not be as successful at Plough Lane on Tuesday night.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Carter White
