Pompey denied by a sub keeper
wanted to get them in at half-time.
“But the positive was that carrot there for them to get back into the game.
“We were always going to change things early in the second half.
“We knew who we had in our head and knew that if we started the half OK we could make those changes. We’ve got that at our disposal, but those players still have to produce when they go on the pitch.”
AFC Wimbledon’s physical attacking line caused Sunderland plenty of first-half problems, and Pigott (right) swivelled neatly to fire home a volley from Andy Barcham’s cross.
It was a different story after the interval, though, with the Black Cats offering much more of a threat, and Sunderland levelled midway through the second half. Lynden Gooch crossed from the left, the ball rebounded off Will Nightingale and Cattermole prodded home from close range. Cattermole claimed his second goal with seven minutes remaining, drilling home a first-time volley. AFC Wimbledon boss Neil Ardley said: “We asked our players to play at a high tempo and take stopper Ben Whiteman. “In the first half we had to defend and we defended very well,” said Jackett.
“We denied them any real clear-cut chances, which was good, but we didn’t get going. Doncaster were on top and had the ascendancy in the game.
“In the second half it changed slightly and we had a lot more of it and created three excellent chances — probably the best chances in the game.
“We were much better in the second half and had to be, otherwise it would’ve fallen away from us.
“I could have made a number of changes at half-time. We needed more the game to Sunderland and really go at them. We did that, particularly in the first half, and we were the better team.
“I knew they would do something in the second half to try to get control of the game. We needed a second goal to really kill this game off but we didn’t get it. Their quality told with their goals.
“We have to take our chances and kill teams off, but by and large, I said to the them, ‘you are a really good team’.”
Doncaster 0 Portsmouth 0
energy, more life and more football in midfield. It was just frustrating we couldn’t test Ben Whiteman more – at times we pushed too many people on.”
Rovers bossed the first period and went close from Andy Butler, Whiteman, Alfie May and Mallik Wilks. “It was probably two points dropped for us, with the way we played,” said boss Grant Mccann. “I thought we were the much better team.”