2024 finished for AFC Wimbledon and Gillingham with the hosts claiming the three points in a tight Sky Bet League Two encounter.

Both sides started cagily with the Gills enjoying the better of the early exchanges. However, the nearest they came during that stage was when Connor Masterson, playing his one hundredth game for the club, got on the end of an Elliott Nevitt cross and had his shot blocked wide for a corner.

Gradually, the hosts started to grew into the game and their first chance came when James Tilley whipped in a cross and Matty Stevens shot wide with a first time effort when he probably had more time than he realised. 

As the game moved into the last ten minutes of the first half, the Dons had another chance when Josh Neufville did well down the right before laying it back to Romaine Sawyers. He didn’t hit it cleanly and it ballooned up. As there was no pace on it, Matty Stevens went for placement, rather than power, and Glenn Morris threw himself to his left to palm it away.

In the fifth minute of the second half Wimbledon were gifted their first corner of the match by a sloppy back pass from Max Clark, and they took full advantage. Tilley slung it in and Stevens showed the desire to get on the end of it and appeared to head it home from inside the six yard box, but the replays showed it hit his arm and should have been disallowed.

Another corner, this time at the other end, gave Gillingham a shooting chance when it was headed out as far as Jayden Clarke. However, his shot lacked power and was hit straight at Owen Goodman who held it comfortably.

Nevitt then tried to take advantage of a slip by Ryan Johnson but fired high and wide much to the dismay of Bradley Dack, who would have been in on goal had Nevitt the Gills hit-man opted to slip it through.

Goodman then made a diving save to push away a free kick from Armani Little before having to rush out to make a double tackle from Aaron Rowe and Nevitt after a short back pass left him exposed.

It continued to be one way traffic in favour of the Gills and Goodman did well to claim a Clarke long throw through a crowd of players. The Wimbledon goalkeeper again came to their rescue in the final minute of stoppage time when diving full length to push away a powerful drive by Rowe.

Victory for the Dons moved them up to second in the league, but it was harsh on Gillingham who did not deserve to lose.

AFC Wimbledon: Goodman, Harbottle (Hutchinson 80), Tilley, Reeves, O’Toole (Ogundere 46), Johnson, Neufville, Smith, Stevens, Kelly (Furlong 89), Sawyers (Sasu 73).

Subs not used: Ward, Biler, Pigott.

Goalscorers: Stevens (50).

Yellow cards: Stevens (56), Ogundere (83).

Gillingham: Morris, Clarke, Clark (Nolan 89), Ehmer, Masterton (Ogie 64), Little, Coleman, Gale (Rowe 64), Nevitt (Gbode 79), Dack (Dieng 79), McKenzie.

Subs not used: Turner, J. Williams.

Goalscorers: None

Yellow cards: Gale (56), Little (74), Dack (77), Ehmer (After F/T).

Referee: Mr Sam Purkiss

Assistants: Ryan Williams and Grant Taylor

Fourth Official: Richard Eley

Attendance: 8,281 (including 1,131 away supporters)

Pictures supplied by Dave Budden.