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• It was important we didn’t panic: Johnnie Jackson applauds AFC Wimbledon win

  AFC Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson praised his side for not pushing the panic button after they missed a penalty and conceded an equaliser to 10-man Walsall before wrapping up a 3-1 win at Bescot Stadium.

  The visitors led early through Connor Lemonheigh-Evans’ 20-yard strike and played most of the game a man up after Taylor Allen’s red card for a studs-up tackle on Omar Bugiel.

  But Armani Little’s spot-kick, after a Ryan Stirk handball, was saved by Walsall keeper Owen Evans and the Saddlers levelled through Freddie Draper’s fine finish on the turn.

  Wimbledon kept calm, though, and Ali Al-Hamadi set up Jack Currie to fire them back ahead before sealing a third away in four league trips himself with a crisp 18-yard finish.

  “We controlled the game for the majority of it and got what we deserved,” said Jackson.

  “After the equaliser, I was thinking ‘how are drawing a game we’ve been in total control of?’ And you think ‘right, we’ll see what the boys are about now because we’ve been pegged back’.

  “But we carried on playing well and doing the things that had got us success.

  “I wanted to see what the boys were about and it was important we didn’t panic and start changing what we had been doing so well up to that point.”

  Wimbledon were victorious despite the absence of injured top scorer James Tilley, who had netted seven of their 12 league goals – a point which pleased Jackson.

  “James has been on fire for us but it helps when you’ve got replacements like Connor, when you’ve got these players who are raring to go,” the manager added.

  “I didn’t doubt that we couldn’t score goals without Tilley. I felt like we should have scored a host more than we already have up to this point.”

  Walsall hit the bar through Isaac Hutchinson moments before Allen’s dismissal, a stroke of bad luck boss Mat Sadler was left to rue.

  “Fortune wasn’t on our side today but the frustrating thing for me was the way we started the game,” he said.

  “We gave ourselves a mountain to climb and that’s twice within the last two weeks we’ve gone one down within six minutes.

  “That for me is the frustrating thing. There’s elements from how we started the game that we need to learn from.

  “I suppose the ‘sliding doors’ thing happens where you hit the bar and four seconds later you lose a man, that then ultimately takes it away from us. Those little fine margins.

  “The red card felt harsh at the time. I didn’t see it coming and it didn’t seem like any of their players felt like it was a decision he was going to make, and that quite clearly alters our ability to really get ourselves into the game.”

• ‘Never a red card’ – Tony Docherty fumes over Josh Mulligan dismissal

  Tony Docherty insisted Josh Mulligan should never have been shown a straight red card in a pulsating cinch Premiership contest with Kilmarnock at Dens Park.

  The game was locked at 1-1, after Amadou Bakayoko’s opener for the home side was cancelled out by a Daniel Armstrong penalty, when midfielder Mulligan was given his marching orders by referee David Munro for bringing down the Killie scorer.

  After the break, it looked like Armstrong had secured the win for the visitors when he struck again late on but deep in stoppage time, home substitute Zak Rudden pounced to snatch a draw with Killie boss Derek McInnes also shown a red card.

  Docherty was pleased with his team’s resilience to come from behind to snatch a point against his former long-time managerial partner’s team.

  However, he was fuming over the Mulligan dismissal.

  Docherty said: “I’m delighted with my team to come back from a game where you are 2-1 down, down to 10 men and nine minutes to go.

  “I thought it was never a red card and I said that to the referee.

  “Yes, it was a foul and a booking. It’s about consistency – if that’s the decision for that tackle then there should have been seven or eight red cards today.

  “I thought we were harshly treated today but I don’t want to be talking about officials – I want to talk about my team and they showed resilience in absolute spades.”

  Derek McInnes admitted he apologised to referee Munro after his “bizarre” red card at the end of the game.

  The Killie boss was trying to get the ball back to his players but it had not gone out and the official dismissed him for entering the field of play without permission.

  McInnes said: “I was convinced the ball was out and all I was trying to do was get the ball back to my player. I wasn’t trying to stop an attack, I wasn’t trying to be clever.

  “The referee said he didn’t want to send me off but it is a technicality as I entered the field of play without permission.

  “It was a bit bizarre, to be honest. I am convinced the ball was out but it spun back in. So I have apologised to the referee.”

  While disappointed with the red card shown to him, McInnes was more frustrated that his team had not managed to see the game out against the 10 men of Dundee.

  The manager added: “We said at half-time that it is not a given when teams go down to 10 men.

  “We were just conscious of not giving up set-plays and for us to lose two set-plays, particularly the one at the death, is so disappointing.”

• Xisco Munoz calls for unity after Sheffield Wednesday fans chant for his sacking

  Sheffield Wednesday manager Xisco Munoz pleaded for unity at the struggling Championship club after fans turned on him during a 3-0 defeat at Swansea.

  The winless Owls were brushed aside by their fellow strugglers in south Wales to the disgust of a large travelling contingent who called for Spaniard Munoz to go.

  Wednesday offered little all afternoon, with a first-half Jamal Lowe penalty and later strikes by Jerry Yates and Charlie Patino proving their undoing.

  Munoz said: “The performance was very strange. In the second half we had chances to score, but we are in difficulty now.

  “Everything is negative but it’s important we stay together, I need people to help me in this situation.

  “I know how hard the players are working every day. We can put the focus on me, but I will continue until my last day.

  “I am not stupid, I knew the situation when I signed here. I understand the unhappiness.”

  Swans boss Michael Duff went into the game with his side having failed to win any of their opening seven matches and only one point better off than their opponents.

  Victory went some way to lifting the gloom, though restless Swans fans may still take some convincing Duff is the long-term solution.

  The former Barnsley boss admitted during the week that he had been feeling the heat, even admitting his mother-in-law had criticised him over recent poor results.

  After the final whistle, Duff said: “She was at the game! I’m a lucky man. I’ve a supportive family and a loyal dog. When we win, he wags his tail when I come home.”

  But Duff added: “It’s not about me. I carry the can, but I won’t be coming in on Monday high-fiving anyone.

  “I’ve said to the players to enjoy it for now. Hopefully winning can become a habit.

  “I’m proud of the players and pleased with our crowd as well.

  “A few passes went astray early on but there was no negativity.

  “My overriding emotions are pride and relief.

  “I am proud of the players and pleased with the crowd as well.

  “At 0-0 a few passes went astray but there was no negativity in the ground at all.

  “The players stayed together and showed a lot of energy and quality and could have scored a couple more goals.

  “Once the second goal went in you could feel almost a sigh of relief in the stadium rather than a cheer because everyone has been feeling it.

  “Everyone wants to do well but everyone has to be pulling in the same direction. Today I felt it was a little bit more how we want things to be.”