AFC Wimbledon kept in the wafer-thin playoff race with a vital three points against strugglers Folkestone Invicta.

Richard Jolly's effort ensured that the Dons still have a mathematical chance of automatic promotion. However, many fans will be relieved that their side didn't drop out of playoff contention altogether, following Margate's 3-1 win at Chelmsford.

The first half was a largely forgettable affair, as the visitors had to adapt to a hard and sandy pitch. Nonetheless, the Dons had the best opportunity of that first period.

A cross from the left by Luke Garrard on twelve minutes was poorly cleared by a Folkestone defender. Wes Daly pounced on the loose ball and delivered a thunderbolt of a strike that went just past keeper Richard Martin's right hand post.

What the first half lacked, the second half more than made up for.

Perhaps buoyed into action from the news at Melbourne Park, the Dons came out visibly more energetic and lively. However, it was Invicta who had the first attempt after the restart, when Ben Sly shot over Andy Little's bar on 47 minutes.

Wimbledon then made the running. Firstly, on 52 minutes, Anthony Howard headed just wide after Luke Garrard's cross.

Then, Mickey Haswell exploited space left by the Invicta defence, but his powering run into the box ended with a shot over the bar.

The frustration was becoming ever more evident when Jolly laid on Howard to slot past the keeper, but the ball was mere inches away from connecting. To compound the Dons' woe, Howard was injured in the process, and was replaced by Steve Butler

The visitors' potency went up a notch following substitute Steve Wales' entrance, with both Jolly and Paul Lorraine coming ever closer to nicking that important goal.

As time starting to wind down, there then followed a period which defined the whole game - and perhaps the season with it.

With just nineteen minutes left, Haswell was adjudged to have up-ended James Corbett in the box. The spot kick could be considered harsh, but as captain Kevin Watson stepped up, it required Little to perform heroics.

Watson shot low to Little's left and the returning shotstopper palmed the ball away to safety. Both the team and support were clearly lifted by the most critical of saves.

This new-found confidence was rewarded three minutes later. The impressive Steve Wales delivered a fine cross-field ball to Steve Ferguson on the left. The Scot managed to fool one defender before delivering a low cross to Jolly, who made no mistake from six yards out. With both the players and the crowd displaying a mixture of relief and delight, the industry displayed by the visitors finally paid off.

The madcap period of play continued with Invicta's player-coach Mark Saunders sent off for an off-the-ball incident on Garrard - who was also booked in the resultant melee.

Ferguson had the opportunity to kill off the game, but his surge into the penalty area was checked with a good tackle by Sam Okikiolu.

Not for the first time this season, Wimbledon faced strong late pressure. The most heart-stopping moment came in the dying minutes, when the ball was eventually cleared following a well-contested scramble.

Substitute Jermaine Darlington failed to put away a chance from six yards out very late on, but the result was Wimbledon's anyway.

This hard-earned victory, the first for three games, keeps the Dons in contention in the tightest of playoff races.