Jason Goodliffe pleased with battling Sutton’s win at his former club Wimbledon

By Sports Desk December 26, 2023

Jason Goodliffe said it was “very pleasing” to come away from his old stamping ground with three points after Sutton lifted themselves off the bottom of Sky Bet League Two with a 1-0 win over AFC Wimbledon.

It was a 63rd-minute Omar Sowunmi header that handed the visitors three points a week on from Goodliffe being handed the reins at Gander Green Lane on an interim basis.

A former Wimbledon player during his playing days, Goodliffe’s team gave the strong travelling support renewed hope as they head towards fixtures with Gillingham and Newport.

“Coming to this place is a special place for me, but to come here and perform the way that we did, and get the result, is very pleasing,” Goodliffe said.

“To a man, they worked their socks off today. They worked for the shirt and that’s all you can ask for.

“There were some really pleasing performances. But it’s one game, we won’t get too carried away. Hopefully we can back that up.

“We started on the front foot. We managed to nullify their threat very well. We had a couple of really good chances first half and you wonder if it’s not going to be your day because the season has been us missing opportunities to take a hold of the game.

“To get the goal was massive and I thought we managed to hold onto the lead very well and played it out well.

“I was pleased with a lot of the performances.”

Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson, who was watching from the stand due to suspension, hopes his team can right their wrongs when they face Colchester on Friday.

“It’s as poor as we’ve been for quite a while,” he said. “I didn’t see that coming, we fell below the standards we’ve set ourselves recently.

“It’s just one of those, the disappointment is we didn’t do enough of the things which have brought us success.

“We didn’t ask them enough questions. It was probably everything, we just fell below the levels we’ve hit recently.

“I was at the top in the stand. We had communication. It was frustrating. You probably get a better view of the game up there, but you feel detached from it.

“It was strange now being down below, but I don’t think it had any bearing on us or the performance.

“I don’t think anyone particularly excelled and they have of late.

“We’ve had a punch on the nose today and have the chance to put it right in a few days’ time.”

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