Dons dare to dream after red card boost
WALLY Downes breathed a huge sigh of relief after seeing his Wimbledon side claim a first home league win since Boxing Day.
Downes highlighted the red card shown to Doncaster’s John Marquis for two bookable offences after 51 minutes as the turning point in the game.
Steve Seddon and Shane McLoughlin provided the goals, but Dons are seven points from safety, while Rovers remain sixth despite a fifth game without a win.
But Downes is convinced the three points will be a huge confidence boost as Wimbledon look to complete mission impossible and escape the drop.
“We knew they were a good team in an expansive game, so we were happy to sacrifice some possession and hit them on the break,” said Downes.
“Once the bloke got sent off it changed the game and we were always looking to impose ourselves more in the second half with the wind.
“We were more desperate to win the game than they were.
“We could have played a lot better with 11 against 10, but we dug it out. It was seat of the pants a couple of times, but we were worthy of the victory.”
Marquis headed Rovers best chance of the first-half on to the top of the bar following James Coppinger’s 37th-minute free-kick.
Then Marquis received his marching orders seconds after Aaron Ramsdale tipped over Ben Whiteman’s top corner-bound 20-yarder.
After Ramsdale saved Butler’s header from the resulting corner he was blocked by Marquis who was shown his second yellow card.
The 10 men held out until Joe Pigott’s pass allowed Seddon to blast a leftfoot shot past Marosi, before sub McLoughlin sealed the points with a low right-foot shot in injury time.
Doncaster manager Grant McCann said: “I saw the sending off on the video. “He was silly for getting the first booking, but I think the referee could have told them both to walk away.
“The second one... there’s nothing in it. Ramsdale’s run into John and he falls to the floor and John gets a yellow card.
“There are 11 games to go, we are going to have to be brave on the ball and go play our game and take the safety catch off. “Playing with the safety catch on is not what I am about.”