THE DONS buried their Billericay hoodoo to return to the top in a game marred by second-half raised arms, with two Billericay players falling over and claiming they'd been punched, while the Tempest End screamed about playacting.

It was the Dons' sixth win in seven league outings but there was only one topic on fans' lips as they left the stadium.

The Essex side had the edge in recent encounters, taking five points from our championship charge last year. Dave Anderson would no doubt have demanded retribution for December's half-hearted surrender at the New Lodge.

There is little doubt that the 'embarrassing' 3-0 defeat ten weeks ago has transformed Wimbledon's season. But this was never going to be easy - Town are chasing the play-offs and had won their last four league matches. In fact, Matt Jones' side hadn't tasted defeat since mid-December as two of the division's form teams locked horns.

But sadly this game won't be remembered for the goals or for the hard-fought victory that put to an end Billericay's eleven-game unbeaten run. A couple of unsightly second-half altercations - with visiting players falling to the floor with embarrassing ease - left a bitter taste in the mouth. Minutes after the incidents, defender Darren Blewitt was given his marching orders for an apparent elbow on Roscoe Dsane.

The ill-discipline cost the visitors dear. They were in control before a rush of blood to their heads and the hosts weren't in the mood to let the ten men off the hook.

By comparison, the first 45 minutes were timid. The lead was handed to Wimbledon from the right boot of Steve Wales.

Since his return from injury, the England National Game international has been in superb form. Brilliant against Bromley, he also scored our only goal in last weekend's draw at Horsham with a composed 52nd minute finish.

He opened the scoring with a rasping drive - Billy McMahon had no chance as the shot whizzed past him against the run of play. Billericay's response was rapid and when Jamie Dormer nodded home the highly-rated Chris Whelpdale's cross, after being gifted the freedom of Kingsmeadow by wayward Dons defenders, Town restored parity.

They should have led not long after. Again, Whelpdale's cross was a peach and this time Leon Hunter was the player arriving. But the midfielder couldn't take advantage and somehow missed with only Andy Little to beat.

The second-half didn't take long to erupt and all hell broke loose after Dsane reacted angrily to keeper McMahon's challenge.

The pair went head-to-head and suddenly the Tempest End crowd was screaming that the stopper had feigned a kick to the stomach. Town's Steve Heffer got involved and the crowd was even more infuriated at what they saw as playacting to try to get Dsane sent off - but the referee wasn't taking the bait.

Minutes later the crowd was triumphant as they saw justice being done as Billericay's Blewitt, well, blew it for the away side - his flailing arm caught Dsane in the face and he was red-carded.

It didn't take long for Wimbledon to take full advantage and when Wales found his feet after a tumble he got enough purchase on his shot to send the ball through the keeper's legs for his third goal in two matches.

It was 3-1 when Paul Lorraine got on the end of a perfectly-weighted Luke Garrard free-kick - McMahon was stranded as the defender's header nestled in the corner of the net to confirm the club's first win over the Blues.

With the game all-but won, Billericay charged forward looking for an unlikely comeback. With three minutes to go they found a way through with a bit of a helping hand. The linesman and referee were at sixes and sevens and with the flag being waved for a foul on Andy Little as he cleared the ball, the match official played a bizarre advantage. With the away team attacking, confusion reigned and Joe Flack took full advantage for the final goal in an ugly game maybe best forgotten.