THE CHALKBOARD

SWINDON Town should view AFC Wimbledon as an achievable scalp this afternoon given the fact their visitors have little to play for over the final four fixtures.

Neal Ardley’s side have enjoyed a solid enough first season in League One after winning promotion via the play-offs last term and look destined to finish in mid-table.

Ardley prefers to field a traditional 4-4-2 formation, although he was forced to shuffle his pack last time out as the Dons squad was hit by a sickness bug.

However, that is not a hard and fast rule as the Kingsmeadow chief has opted to send out three-man defences and attacks at stages over the course of the campaign.

Former Town man Jake Reeves is the only player to be ever-present for the Dons in the league this term and is pretty much assured of his place in the heart of midfield.

Swindon Advertiser:
Neal Ardley

LIKELY LINE-UP

Swindon Advertiser:

A MAN IN FORM: Lyle Taylor

WITH neither promotion nor relegation to contend with, AFC Wimbledon’s season is petering out somewhat and they have picked up just seven points from the last seven games.

That is down to the fact that goals have started to dry up for Neal Ardley’s side as they have found the back of the net in just two of the matches played during that period.

However, top scorer Lyle Taylor has not let his standards slip during his side’s sticky spell as he has scored in both of those games – wins over Rochdale and Milton Keynes Dons on March 28 and 14 respectively.

Taylor has hit the back of the net 14 times this season and although it does not compare to the 23 he got last term to help Dons win promotion via the League Two play-offs, it is still a healthy return.

Should Taylor score this afternoon, it is likely to mean bad news for Swindon Town as the Dons have not lost a game in which the 27-year-old hit the back of the net since October.

Swindon Advertiser:
Lyle Taylor (blue)

TREATMENT ROOM

AFC WIMBLEDON have been given a big fitness boost ahead of their trip to the County Ground this afternoon.

Boss Neal Ardley had been sweating over five players but Dean Parrett, Andy Barcham, Tom Soares and Darius Charles are all expected to be available to feature against Swindon Town.

Parrett, Barcham, Soares and Tom Elliott all missed the 1-0 defeat at home to Bristol Rovers last weekend after the Dons squad was struck by a sickness bug but it is only the latter who is likely to fail to have recovered enough to face Town.

OPPO FORM GUIDE

Sat, Apr 8

Skybet League One

1-0 defeat v Bristol Rovers (H)

Sat, Apr 1

Skybet League One

2-0 win v Port Vale (A)

Tues, Mar 28

Skybet League One

3-1 win v Rochdale (H)

Sat, Mar 25

Skybet League One

2-0 defeat v Southend (H)

Sat, Mar 18

Skybet League One

0-0 draw v Fleetwood (H)

GOALSCORERS

Lyle Taylor: 14

Tom Elliott: 13

Dominic Poleon: 13

DISCIPLINE

Paul Robinson: 8Y

Jake Reeves: 7Y

Lyle Taylor: 6Y, 1R

THE STAT
Town have won only three of their 11 league games against Wimbledon - the new and old versions - since the sides first met in 1979