AKINFENWA IS ARDLEY’S HERO
ADEBAYO Akinfenwa has had his critics this season but, after he scored his third goal in just a week, Wimbledon manager Neal Ardley believes he’s proved his doubters wrong.
After banging in two goals against Burton, Akinfenwa scored the only goal of the game after 27 minutes to hand Wimbledon another three points; this time against Morecambe.
Ardley revealed he had been warned in the summer that Akinfenwa was not capable of playing two games in week but after delivering the goods for the second time in five days, the Wimbledon boss insists he’s chuffed with his new addition.
“A lot of people told me that he couldn’t play two games in a week when I signed him, told me he won’t last the season but I haven’t got a bad word to say about the guy,” said Ardley.
“I tell him when he needs to raise it and he responds and that’s what he likes. He’s unplayable if you want to go one versus one with him.
“I’m not looking at positions; I can only get the team functioning well.
“We’re trying our best and we’re not perfect by any stretch of the imagination but we’re working really hard to get the team to do what’s effective in League Two games.
“It was a good win, it was different from Tuesday but we knew that would be the case and we needed to learn to dig in, stay in the game and do all the nitty gritty that League Two demands of a team like us.
“Probably the only criticism of the day would be that we didn’t go two or three goals up when we had our chances to score.”
Akinfenwa has been struggling for goals and form at the start of the campaign but he followed up his brace against Burton in midweek by scoring again for the Dons.
He opened the scoring against Morecambe after 27 minutes – the giant striker heading home an Alan Bennett cross perfectly from six yards.
Morecambe’s best chance of the half came in the 42nd minute, a well struck Ryan Williams 25 yard free kick was pushed over the crossbar by Dons’ keeper James Shea.
Akinfenwa could have doubled his tally for the day after the break if it wasn’t for an impressive diving save from Roche after the bulky former Swansea forward shot powerfully on the turn.
Morecambe manager Jim Bentley said: “I’m obviously disappointed but we’ve got make sure that we keep believing in ourselves, keep working hard and make sure we put the ball in the back of the net when the chances come along.
“Akinfenwa is a handful, I know myself, he scored double figures in League One last year and you get what you pay for.
“He may not be everyone’s cup of tea but as I say I’ve had a few battles with him myself and he’s a handful.
“He’s a difficult player to play against and one of the top strikers at this level.”