Two first half headers from Mark Robinson’s Dons shocked Ipswich Town into submission at Plough Lane on Tuesday evening.
On the 21st minute, defender Will Nightingale scored his first goal of the season, meeting Luke O’Neil’s cross from a corner to set the tone for the match.
Only four minutes later, Jack Rudoni doubled the lead, stooping low to head home another Luke O’Neil cross to put the Dons into cruise control.
The evening was finished for Paul Cook’s men on the 28th minute, when Josh Harrop was sent off by referee Antony Coggins, for a dangerous challenge on Nesta Guinness-Walker.
Ryan Longman wrapped up the game with a well-taken shot from just outside the area to give the Dons some breathing room from the bottom four.
The match
Mark Robinson kept the faith with the same team that annihilated Accrington Stanley 5-1 on Saturday. However, defender Ben Heneghan missed this evening's game through suspension, which allowed Paul Kalambayi to make his first start under the new manager.
As for Paul Cook, he made two changes from the side that drew 0-0 with Milton Keynes Dons on the weekend, with Alan Judge and James Norwood replacing Teddy Bishop and Armando Dobra.
After both sides trading blows, Joe Pigott came closest to opening the scoring on the 20th minute. The forward, who has 15 goals in League One this season, curled a long-ranged effort from outside the box which stung the palms of Tomas Holy.
However, the resulting corner would see Wimbledon break the deadlock.
Luke O’Neil sent in a pinpoint corner, which only needed a touch to divert past Holy, and Will Nightingale duly provided; nodding home his first of the season and firmly swinging the pendulum in The Dons favour.
The second soon followed.
Jack Rudoni had been suffering somewhat of a goal-drought of late, but he couldn’t miss the golden opportunity handed to him on a plate by Luke O’Neil.
Rudoni nodded home the second from close range and sent the Wimbledon bench into unbridled pandemonium.
The Dons were in free-flow and nothing was going to stop them tonight.
The evening went from bad to worse for Paul Cook’s men when Josh Harrop was sent off for a dangerous challenge on Nesta Guinness-Walker.
The scintillating football from the Dons was a frightening sight for any opposition.
With Ollie Palmer and Joe Pigott leading the line, Ayoub Assal and Jack Rodoni in ascendance and Gunnies-Walker and O’Neil bombarding forward, The Tractor Boys were shocked in submission.
James Norwood was handed a glorious opportunity to claw Cook’s men back into the game when he collected a loose ball from Nik Tzanev, however, his shot arrowed past the post; much to the relief of Tzanev.
Early on in the second half, Ayoub Assal had the perfect opportunity to seal all three points for Mark Robinson’s side.
After a miscommunication between Luke Woolfenden and Aristote Nsiala, Assal broke free and was left one-on-one with Thomas Holy.
Despite having on the keeper to beat, Assal buckled under the pressure, hammering his tame shot straight at Holy.
Although they were 2-0 down, Paul Cook’s side refused to give up. Gwion Edwards and Stephen Ward gallivanted forward, creating opportunities. However, the goal-shy frontline lacked the cutting edge to worry the Dons’ defence.
Ryan Longman created havoc amongst the Ipswich defence. He linked up well with Joe Pigott, who narrowly missed adding a third on the 72nd minute, when his curling effort sailed over the bar.
The best chance of the half fell to James Norwood, but the 30-year-old, who was left unmarked in the box, failed to direct his header past Tzanev.
The game was wrapped up on the 85 minute, when Ryan Longman was found by Pigott, and from just outside the box, buried the chance into the bottom left hand corner, past the helpless Holy.
The win moved Wimbledon 2 points clear of the bottom four.