Preview: AFC Wimbledon vs. Swindon Town - prediction, team news, lineups

Two teams moving successful antithetic directions are acceptable to travel unneurotic erstwhile AFC Wimbledon big Swindon Town astatine Kingsmeadow successful a Boxing Day League Two clash connected Thursday.

The hosts are sixth successful the array with 33 points from 20 matches, portion the visitors are 21st successful the standings with 19 points from their 21 league games.

Match preview

© Imago

The 2021-22 play marked a important setback for AFC Wimbledon, arsenic they suffered relegation to League Two—a bitter pill to swallow aft six seasons distant from the 4th tier.

Their instrumentality to League Two was fraught with struggles, narrowly avoiding a further driblet to the 5th part – however, the 2023-24 run saw a singular turnaround, with the Wombles finishing successful a commendable 10th spot and sparking renewed optimism for a swift instrumentality to League One.

This season, nether the stewardship of Johnnie Jackson, Wimbledon are firmly focused connected promotion, whether achieved automatically oregon done the playoffs, and their beardown commencement has kept them successful the playoff positions, presently trailing Doncaster Rovers—occupants of the last automatic promotion spot—by conscionable 3 points.

A 1-0 decision to Chesterfield successful their astir caller outing ended a four-match unbeaten streak, but the Wombles person the cleanable accidental to bounce backmost against an hostile they person mostly outperformed this season.

That said, a mixed caller grounds against Thursday's visitors—one triumph and 2 losses successful their past 4 encounters—calls for caution – however, the representation of triumph successful their astir caller clash with Swindon Town offers a root of encouragement.

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For Swindon Town, earning thing from this crippled would beryllium seen arsenic a triumph, fixed their ongoing conflict to debar replicating past season's struggles, erstwhile they finished 9 points wide of relegation.

The Robins presently beryllium conscionable 4 points supra the driblet zone, having mislaid astir fractional of their 21 league matches truthful far, and defensively, they stay fragile, with 35 goals conceded—the third-highest tally successful the division.

Their mediocre commencement to the play led to the dismissal of Mark Kennedy, appointed successful May, with Ian Holloway stepping into the managerial relation successful October.

Recent weeks person brought a glimmer of anticipation for Swindon, who person won 2 of their past 3 league matches – their latest triumph, a 3-1 triumph implicit Grimsby, lifted them retired of the relegation places and provided a much-needed morale boost.

However, with the worst points mean connected the roadworthy successful the division, Swindon indispensable present an inspired distant show connected Boxing Day to debar their renewed optimism being short-lived.

AFC Wimbledon League Two form:

AFC Wimbledon signifier (all competitions):

Swindon Town League Two form:

Swindon Town signifier (all competitions):

Team News

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Wimbledon could beryllium without Myles Hippolyte and Joe Lewis, arsenic some players stay doubtful owed to ongoing wounded concerns.

Mathew Stevens, who has been successful sensational signifier since joining from Forest Green Rovers successful the summer, has netted 11 goals successful 20 appearances, placing him astatine the apical of the League Two scoring chart, and helium volition beryllium anxious to widen his awesome tally with different extremity successful this fixture.

Swindon, connected the different hand, person nary wounded oregon suspension issues to contend with and whitethorn opt to tract an unchanged line-up pursuing their triumph implicit Grimsby.

Harry Smith, the team's starring scorer with 8 league goals, and Kabongo Tshimanga, who bagged a brace successful their past outing, are expected to proceed arsenic the beforehand pairing, aiming to physique connected their caller success.

AFC Wimbledon imaginable starting lineup:
Goodman; Ogundere, Toole, Johnson; Neufville, Smith, Hutchinson, Tilley; Kelly, Stevens; Pigott

We say: AFC Wimbledon 1-0 Swindon Town

Given that this is simply a contention betwixt the league's second-strongest location broadside and the joint-weakest distant side, we judge Wimbledon are well-positioned for a straightforward victory.

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