Johnnie Jackson praised AFC Wimbledon’s response to their weekend defeat at Notts County as they eased their way to a 3-0 win against bottom club Morecambe.
James Tilley set Jackson’s side on course for victory in the 52nd minute before Omar Bugiel and Matty Stevens struck to secure the south-west London club’s fifth successive victory win.
The triumph leaves them just two points off the play-off places and Jackson was satisfied with his side’s display.
“It was important we bounced back with a win after getting a punch on the nose,” Jackson said. “It was important we bounced back here with a win.
“We spoke about it after Notts County. I thought we were excellent up there and we didn’t get what we deserved.
“So it was about performance levels tonight and I felt that if we turned up and had a professional attitude towards the work then we would be OK.
“I just felt we could up the tempo in the second half. They were happy to sit and contain and slow the game down.
“We wanted to move the ball quicker and vary our attack and I thought we were excellent in the second half.”
Tilley broke the deadlock after a fine run and finish and Jackson praised the way the player has adapted to a wing-back role.
He added: “James has done great. I thought he might have wondered where he might have fitted in when we started playing this system.
“But he has got his head down and bought into the defensive element of it.
“But tonight we are talking about his attacking output. And when he jinked inside on his right I was thinking ‘don’t do that’. But he pulled one out of the bag.”
Morecambe manager Derek Adams admitted his side paid the price for failing to make more of the chances that came their way.
But he insisted it was too early to panic despite the club’s standing at the foot of the table.
“I thought we were very competitive in the first half,” Adams said. “We stopped Wimbledon from playing and were very good in the set-plays and there were chances for both sides.
“We looked really solid up until half-time then in the second half they got a goal from 30 yards that we should have done better with.
“That goal changed the way the contest is going and we should have done better with the second and third goals.
“So really the issues with the goals were our own doing. Then we didn’t give a great response after that, which was disappointing.
“They did better than us in the big moments of the game.
“We are only five points off a number of teams above us. The table is so tight and a few wins along the way, which we need, we understand that, but we have to be better in the big moments.”
Nuno Espirito Santo acknowledged no one at Nottingham Forest expected to be third in April but backed his team to embrace the challenge after they started a huge week with victory at Tottenham.Forest had slipped to sixth in the Premier League after weekend wins for Champions League qualification rivals Manchester City, Chelsea and Aston Villa, yet responded with aplomb in the capital.Early efforts...
Chris Wood’s 19th goal of the season fired Nottingham Forest back up to third in the Premier League with a 2-1 win at Tottenham.Forest had slipped to sixth after the weekend’s results, but Nuno Espirito Santo savoured a sweet three points against old club Spurs after early goals from Elliot Anderson and Wood in the capital.It brought Ange Postecoglou’s team back down to earth aft...
Leeds boss Daniel Farke saluted his players for holding their nerve after a 6-0 home win against Stoke helped seal promotion back to the Premier League.Joel Piroe scored four goals, including Leeds’ fastest-ever league hat-trick, with strikes in the sixth, eighth and 20th minutes and added his fourth before half-time after Junior Firpo had put Farke’s side 4-0 up in 26 minutes.Willy Gn...
Burnley captain Josh Brownhill sent the Clarets back into the Premier League with both goals in a 2-1 win over Sheffield United that also saw Leeds promoted and left the Blades relying on the play-offs.Scott Parker made it three promotions with three different clubs in the space of six seasons as Burnley extended their unbeaten league run to a club-record 31 games, bouncing straight back to the Pr...
Burnley captain Josh Brownhill joked the Clarets had “bored our way to the Premier League” after a 2-1 win at home to Sheffield United confirmed their return to the top flight at the first attempt.Scott Parker’s side have conceded just 15 goals in 44 matches and victory over their promotion rivals ensured they could not be caught with two matches remaining.“I’m speech...
West Brom have announced the departure of Tony Mowbray after the club’s play-off hopes were all-but ended by a 3-1 Championship defeat at home to relegation-threatened Derby.The visitors twice punished the Baggies from set-piece situations when Ebou Adams and Jerry Yates struck from corners in the first half.Adam Armstrong’s goal halved the deficit and made for a nervy final 20 minutes...
Ian Holloway emphasised his pride in his resurgent Swindon side, despite Will Wright’s own goal against Bromley ending their slim play-off hopes.Danny Imray nutmegged Tom Nichols on the byline and fired a low ball into the box which bounced off the hapless defender’s shin in the 88th minute, condemning the Robins to a 1-0 loss.Kabongo Tshimanga had earlier missed a first-half penalty f...
Grant McCann admitted the task ahead for him is to keep his players calm after Doncaster put themselves within touching distance of promotion with a 3-0 win over Colchester.Goals from Harry Clifton, Jordan Gibson and Patrick Kelly saw Rovers power into top spot in League Two.It means a victory over promotion rivals Bradford this weekend will see them promoted to League One but McCann is determined...
Leeds boss Daniel Farke saluted four-goal Joel Piroe after his side thrashed Stoke 6-0 at Elland Road to stand on the brink of Premier League promotion.Piroe fired Leeds’ fastest-ever league hat-trick with strikes in the sixth, eighth and 20th minutes and added his fourth before half-time after Junior Firpo had put Farke’s side 4-0 up in 26 minutes.Willy Gnonto headed Leeds’ sixt...
Tony Mowbray felt West Brom “lacked a bit of courage on the ball” as their play-off hopes were all-but ended by a 3-1 home defeat to relegation-threatened Derby.The visitors twice punished the Baggies from set-piece situations when Ebou Adams and Jerry Yates struck from corners in the first half.Adam Armstrong’s goal halved the deficit and made for a nervy final 20 minutes until ...
- 1 Four Tottenham stars could leave this summer
- 2 PL side eyeing summer move for Rashford
- 3 Newcastle continue to impress in absence of Eddie Howe with Crystal Palace rout
- 4 Man City in pole position to secure Morgan Gibbs
- 5 Liverpool interested in signing Mason Greenwood
- 6 Jordan Bowery earns Mansfield a point at Rotherham
- 7 Ten-man Falkirk beaten by Raith as late goals keep title race alive
- 8 Pop icon with £580M net worth makes appearance at Stamford Bridge
- 9 Grant McCann to keep Doncaster players calm despite being on brink of promotion
- 10 Mentality and spirit unbelievable – Daniel Farke praises promoted Leeds players