AFC Wimbledon 0, Wanderers 0,

Ten-man Wanderers battled to a goalless draw against AFC Wimbledon as their chances of automatic promotion took a knock at the Cherry Red Records Stadium.

Gareth Ainsworth was forced into two substitutions in the first half as Matt Bloomfield and Nico Yennaris joined Wycombe’s mounting injury list.

His options for next Saturday’s penultimate league game were hampered further with Aaron Pierre now having to serve a one match ban as he picked up a second yellow card in the dying minutes.

Matt Ingram, and the post once, also came to Blues’ rescue as Wanderers saw their cushion over fourth place Bury cut to two points.

The draw means Wanderers’ fate is no longer in their own hands and leaves them hoping for a draw when the Shakers meet Southend on Tuesday night.

All the pre-match talk centred on whether Ainsworth would be required to name himself among the substitutes after Tuesday’s epic win against Exeter which had seen injury doubts cast over four players.

The Wycombe manager was able to keep his boots hung up though as he made only one enforced change from midweek with Fred Onyedinma replacing Aaron Holloway, who along with Matt McClure didn’t make the five man bench which included the returning Max Kretzschmar.

Ainsworth and counterpart Neal Ardley enjoyed a warm embrace before kick-off – the pair were teammates at Wimbledon when the club was in the Premier League – but the Blues boss had said in the build up to the game that friendships would be put to one side as his quest to take his current employers to League One reaches its climax.

The Dons may be marooned in mid table but an eight match unbeaten run on home soil suggested they would provide a stern test of Wanderers’ promotion credentials.

With the backing of a noisy band of travelling fans Blues tested James Shea early on as Paul Hayes hit the target with an ambitious half volley before Steven Craig saw a shot deflected wide of the post all in the first three minutes of the match.

In Wanderers’ current situation regarding injuries the last thing they needed was to see Bloomfield wearily trudge back to the dressing room after six minutes following an aerial collision which left him wondering where he was.

Marcus Bean replaced him in midfield and he looked to help Wycombe climb in top in what was an even first 15 minutes which was bereft of any quality in the final third, but that all changed when Sean Rigg stole a yard on Yennaris and whipped a superb cross into the middle.

The imposing Adebayo Akinfenwa met the ball with his head but, to his dismay, saw it crash against the post with Matt Ingram beaten.

The strong wind at The Cherry Red Records Stadium was playing its part in proceedings, but no wind played a part as Sam Saunders sent a fizzing shot over the bar from the edge of the area – Wanderers best opening of the first quarter of the match.

Chances were at a premium as both sets of players traded long balls and failed to connect with the final pass. The match was sparked into life briefly as Akinfenwa flicked the ball behind the visitors’ defence and sent Jake Reeves through on goal.

The midfielder was just about to line up a shot when Sam Wood came out of nowhere and cleared the stand with his clearance. From the resulting corner Ingram got his side into trouble as his attempted punch looped straight up in the air and his two attempts to clutch it proved fruitless. His blushes were saved by Trevor Kettle, however, as the referee blew for a free-kick.

Yennaris was clearly in discomfort from an earlier tussle with Akinfenwa which saw him land awkwardly on his neck. He lasted until the 42nd minute before he was forced off, with Kretzschmar coming on at right-back – his first appearance since an FA Cup third round tie against the Dons in December.

Wycombe’s mounting injury list is a major concern but the more immediate worry for Ainsworth was Wimbledon’s growing influence on the game and they gave Blues a major scare before the break as Ingram was caught in no mans land after a 50-50 with Adebayo Azeez and looked to have allowed Reeves a chance to shoot.

The midfielder opted to take a touch, allowing Ingram to readjust and he managed to pluck the ball from Reeves’ feet as Wanderers looked to be in trouble.

Ainsworth made a tactical switch at the break, moving Bean to right-back and pushing Kretzschmar into midfield. It had little impact on the flow of the game as the Dons attacked immediately and thought they had scored the opener within two minutes of the restart.

Captain Barry Fuller had the freedom of the stadium to send a floated cross into the area where Akinfenwa held off Pierre and nodded the ball into the path of Craig Tanner, who headed it past Ingram.

The cheers of the home fans turned to boos however as Kettle had adjudged Akinfenwa to have impeded the Wanderers defender.

The decision did not improve the match official’s standing with the Dons fans and they were shouting and hollering at the referee appealing for a handball by Wood as the left-back controlled the ball and whipped it into the box.

Their cries went unanswered an after Pierre had won the header Craig blasted a right-foot shot just over the bar as it fell beautifully into his path.

Wimbledon weren’t playing like a side who were without a win in their last five games and they created another great chance for Akinfenwa when he met George Francomb’s centre and sent it flying just wide of the post.

With 20 minutes left Ainsworth introduced Hogan Ephraim for Saunders, who also received treatment after taking his pick of the array of empty seats on the visitors’ bench.

Wycombe players were tumbling under challenges, with good reason, and the home fans felt incensed on every occasion.

They were almost on their feet to applaud a fine goal though as Reeves sent a left foot shot flying narrowly over Ingram’s goal as the clock ticked into the final ten minutes.

The Dons made a triple change in an attempt to grab a winner but it was a Wycombe player who came close to beating Ingram as Bean swung his leg, whilst on the floor, at a loose ball in the penalty box and sent it flying towards the bottom corner.

Fortunately for the midfielder and the 845 away fans Ingram showed tremendous reflexes to claw it off the goal line.

Wanderers were finding it tough going and their task was made infinitely harder when Pierre was shown a second yellow card as he bought down the fresh legs of David Fitzpatrick.

The hosts and their crowd, buoyed by the red card, attacked with renewed vigour and launched a series of high balls into the Wycombe penalty area.

Ingram, however, had recovered from his first half struggles and coped well with the aerial bombardment to ensure Wanderers left The Cherry Red Records Stadium with a point.

AFC Wimbledon: Shea, Fuller, Tanner (Fitzpatrick), Bulman, Oshilaja, Goodman, Francomb (Beere), Reeves, Azeez, Akinfenwa, Rigg (Harrison)
Substitutes not used: Worner, Oakley, Fitzpatrick, Sweeney Gallagher

Wanderers: Ingram, Yennaris (Kretzschmar), Pierre, Mawson, Wood, Saunders (Ephraim), Bloomfield (Bean), Murphy, Onyedinma, Craig, Hayes
Substitutes not used: Lynch, Fletcher,

Attendance: 4,535 (845 Wanderers)