Following the drama of Wallingford, a solitary Lee Sidwell goal proved enough against a tactically limited Frimley Green side.

In truth, much of the game was one-way traffic towards the visitors' goal. Gavin Bolger almost gave Wimbledon a fourth-minute lead when his sharp interception and long range shot nearly caught Stuart Millward napping. A better chance was spurned midway through the first half when Millard failed to hold a Danny Oakins' piledriver only for Kevin Cooper to hit the post with the rebound, allowing Frimley to scramble away the danger. And unlucky Simon Bassey became the first of three Dons to be cautioned by Mark Philips, but only on the word of the fourth official who seemed to spend a generous period of the afternoon in deep conversation with the visitors' manager.

Cooper hit the woodwork again shortly after when his shot almost crowned a flowing move from Sidwell and Joe Sheering.

The luckless Coops fared no better moments later when he scuffed a chance wide, although looking suspiciously offside.

Attacking the West Bank after the interval, AFC Wimbledon got the breakthrough within a minute when a clever turn and cross from Bolger was swept home by Sidwell for his seventh goal of the season. Despite fashioning out many opportunities, the glut of goals predicted by some did not materialise, even when firefighter Ross Brodie (son of former Aldershot midfielder Murray Brodie) was dismissed for dissent after being on the receiving end of a clumsy Cooper challenge.

Both sides used their quota of substitutions to try and freshen up matters, but a disallowed Ally Russell effort and close-range strikes by Noel Frankum and Oakins were the closest Wimbledon came to increasing their lead as Frimley were content with containment. In injury time, Frimley were handed an opportunity to snatch an undeserved point, but their free kick was charged down by the Dons defensive wall.

The was a must-win for Terry Eames' team, and while it didn't contain the theatrics of the Wallingford adventure, this performance leaves the Dons a glimmer of hope for a top two finish come May.

[ --- Ray Armfield, AFC Wimbledon home programme]