Johnnie Jackson urges Wimbledon to rally after late defeat to Doncaster

Johnnie Jackson called on his AFC Wimbledon squad to come together after Doncaster scored a heartbreaking late winner to secure a 1-0 victory at the Cherry Red Records Stadium.

The game appeared to be heading towards a 0-0 draw despite Joe Lewis being sent off for a second bookable offence in the 90th minute.

However, Owen Bailey headed in the winner eight minutes into stoppage time to ensure struggling Rovers secured all three points.

The result leaves The Dons just two points clear of the relegation zone, but Jackson believes his squad will rally ahead of crucial fixtures against Rotherham and Port Vale.

“I don’t like that saying [must-win games], what happens if you don’t win?,” he said.

“You just have to try and win the next one, don’t you.

“They are big games, they’re big games, and like I said to the group, they have got to stick together.

“On days like these, this is where you really need to come together as a group.

“It just feels like today, everything has gone against us.

“We should have had a penalty, the referee is about to send their player off for a really bad tackle, and changes his mind.

“Then obviously our goalkeeper has had a bad moment at the end there.

“Literally, that’s the difference today.

“We could be standing here talking about a decent point today because we have had to dig in at the end.

“That’s football, it doesn’t always work like that.

“We will rally around the group and the goalkeeper, and we go again.”

The result is a huge boost for Doncaster, who are now just three points behind Blackpool, who are in 20th place in the League One table.

Rovers manager Grant McCann believes his side deserved the result despite not being at their best.

“I am pleased for the players, and I am pleased for the fans, I think that has been coming,” he said.

“The win has been coming, u have been sounding a bit like a broken record but about the performance being there but the result not being there.

“The performance wasn’t really there today, but the result was, and we have certainly played much better than that and lost.

“Today was about digging in, being strong and defending our box well and going right to the wire.

“There is nothing better than a last-minute winner.

“I’m really pleased, but I am more pleased for the players, because they have deserved that.

“Today we weren’t as good as some of our previous games, particularly in spells, but what we did do is dig in, and we have to do more of that.

“That is what ultimately wins you games.”