Stephen Clemence was proud of Gillingham’s defiant display despite his 10 men suffering a 2-0 defeat against League Two play-off rivals AFC Wimbledon.

Omar Bugiel’s header gave Wimbledon the lead, and things went from bad to worse for the visitors as Conor Masterson received two yellow cards in two minutes to cap a chaotic first half.

Gillingham fought hard to get back into the game after the break, but Bugiel’s second wrapped up a crucial win for the Dons.

The result sees Wimbledon leapfrog their opponents into seventh, while Stephen Clemence’s side drop into 10th.

“I was really proud of the boys in the second half with 10 men,” said Clemence.

“I thought their character was immense actually, to stay in the game and to create one or two things ourselves.

“The first half, I thought we started well, but the game swung in the space of a five or six-minute period.

“We should do better, the challenge isn’t good enough in the box and then obviously a few minutes later we are down to 10 men.

“It is disappointing because I felt we were right in the game, I felt we were giving them problems, but obviously it was not meant to be tonight.

“I thought we were in a good place in the game, all games are difficult, but I thought we were in a good place coming away from home, but as I say the game swung in five or six minutes and it is done now.”

The Dons now have a two-point cushion in seventh, with the Gills, Walsall and Crawley all hot on their heels.

Clemence must now come up with a plan for Grimsby Town’s visit to Priestfield on Saturday, with his shot shy side looking like the play-offs may be a step too far this season.

With many of their play-off rivals around them having games in hand, Gillingham know with just eight games left to play this season, they will probably need to win at least five of them to be in with a chance of making the top seven come the end of the campaign.