As it stands, AFC Wimbledon currently sit 14th in League One.
After a run of positive results, winning three of the last five league games, the Dons sit ten points off the playoffs and eight points off the drop.
This begs the question to Dons fans whether they should expect to run away from the bottom of the pack or continue to be wary of what’s beneath them.
The next three games see the Wombles face Mansfield Town away from home, followed by Northampton Town at home, finishing with Blackpool a few days later.
Mansfield (Away)
Mansfield away on Saturday won’t bring AFC Wimbledon fans many fond memories as their side haven’t beaten the Stags at their ground since 2010, playing them away five times since.
Despite this record, the last three meetings between the sides have seen the Dons unbeaten, with two goalless draws either side of a 2-1 home win in January 2024.
Mansfield currently sit three points behind the Dons and are in a bad spell of form, failing to win any of their last five league games, three of those being losses.
If there was a game to build on momentum, this would be one which Wimbledon fans hope to get a result.
Northampton Town (Home)
The following week, Wimbledon return home and face their recent Vertu Trophy knockout opponent in Northampton.
This is a fixture which hasn’t been kind this season, with the Dons losing 3-1 away in the league and 2-1 loss a couple of weeks ago in the Vertu Trophy Quarter Finals.
Despite Wimbledon’s Plough Lane proving the opposite of a fortress this campaign, they have managed two impressive 3-2 and 3-1 home wins against Reading and Bradford City, which can offer some positivity heading into this game
With Northampton sitting 22nd, eight points behind the Dons, this is another good opportunity for three points for the Wombles.
Blackpool (Home)
Four days later comes the rescheduled Blackpool game which was postponed due to the visitors inclusion in the third round of the FA Cup.
The reverse fixture this season saw the Wombles comfortably overcome their opponents 2-0. This however took place during a period vastly different from the ones they are in now.
At the time Blackpool had only accumulated eight points out of a possible thirty with a manager under pressure, whereas the Dons were sitting on eighteen points after the same number of games.
The ten points difference has been halved since, with Blackpool 17th and looking to steer themselves away from relegation danger.
As a team whose recent form has shifted their ambitions into that of a mid-table side, a realistic points target for AFC Wimbledon’s next three games would be four out of the possible nine available.
However, if they kick on and win the away fixture against Mansfield, six points become less ambitious.
