AFC Wimbledon v Harrogate Town: Sulphurites go in search of long-overdue away win

The Sulphurites have secured useful points at promotion-chasing Chesterfield and Port Vale in recent weeks, but are without a League Two victory on the road since their 2-0 success over Barrow on January 4.

Town’s much-improved home form has kept them clear of the relegation zone in the last few months, though three points on their travels this weekend would go a long way to helping secure their Football League status for another season.

But, Simon Weaver and his men know that they will have their work cut out at Plough Lane.

Sixth-placed Wimbledon head into the game boasting the third best home record in the division, having won 12 of the 20 matches that they have hosted in South West London, losing just four.

That form has enabled the Dons to mount a sustained challenge for automatic promotion this term, though they currently occupy a play-off position, having suffered something of a downturn in fortunes of late.

Defeat at 20th-placed Swindon on Tuesday evening means that Johnnie Jackson’s team have managed to win just two of their last 10 matches in League Two.

And, they have only come out on top in one of their previous four at home, where they have lost to mid-table Cheltenham and Bromley and drawn with Barrow.

Weaver, however, will not be making the mistake of underestimating Wimbledon, having witnessed them comprehensively beat his side at Wetherby Road shortly before Christmas.

“We know from when they came to our place in December just what a strong, physical team they are,” he said.

"They play a 3-5-2, they’ve got good midfielders pushing on and they certainly make the box, so we have to do all of the things that we have been doing well, and be at the top of our game.

"We can’t go there thinking that we can relax because it’s been good recently and we’ve taken four points from the last two games. We can go there in good spirits, but not to the point where we get complacent, because we can’t afford to. We haven’t sealed the deal yet.

"I think that we are at our best when we are intense, and we are full-blooded, but that’s not going gung-ho at all.

"If we don’t get it right, you can come unstuck, like we did at Newport. But, over the last three games, we have defended our box superbly well and we will need to reach those standards again on Saturday.”

The last time Harrogate visited Wimbledon, the sides played out a 1-1 draw as Matty Daly’s early opener was cancelled out just before the hour-mark by Ronan Curtis in March 2024.

In 2022/23, a topsy-turvy affair ended 3-2 to the Dons. Trailing by a goal at half-time, strikes from Daly and Alex Pattison saw Town turn the game on its head, however the hosts netted twice late on to snatch the spoils.

The most recent meeting between the sides took place in December, with Wimbledon cruising to the most comfortable of 3-0 successes over a toothless Sulphurites team at Wetherby Road.

Town, who climbed one place in the table to 20th and remain nine points clear of the drop zone following their midweek success over Tranmere, should have on-loan Bristol Rovers left-back Bryant Bilongo (hamstring) back available this weekend.

But, experienced midfielder Stephen Dooley has picked up a minor muscular problem and could miss out.