AFC Wimbledon boss is not getting carried away after wins (From Surrey Comet)

Dons boss Ardley: "York win was as big as they come"

9:00am Saturday 16th March 2013 in Sport By Tim Ashton

AFC Wimbledon boss Neal Ardley is playing down the significance of back-to-back League Two wins with a warning that another blip is likely before the end of the season.

Ardley described the defeat at Cheltenham at the beginning of the month as a blip and demanded a reaction from his team.

And he got it with Saturday’s 3-2 win over York City at Kingsmeadow, followed by a 3-1 win at promotion-chasing Southend United on Tuesday night.

Dons are now five points clear of the League Two drop zone in 18th – their highest position since September – and they face crunch matches against strugglers Aldershot and bottom club Accrington Stanley in the next five days.

Ardley said: “The York win was as  big as they come. Neil [Cox] and I said before this run of fixtures that if we didn’t get a win at home to York then it will be awfully tough.

“That win spiralled into the Southend game and, while the pressure is not off us, it does  set us up nicely for the next two games.

“Our form since January has seen a couple of blips along the way with a couple of defeats on the trot.

“But every time we’ve had that blip we’ve got together again and had three or four good games, before another blip like against Cheltenham.

“We did the same, got together and off we go again, but I am sure there will be more blips in the remaining fixtures, we just have to react to them in the right way.”

Ardley has brought in goalkeeper John Sullivan on loan until the end of the season as a replacement for Neil Sullivan, who has been recalled by Doncaster Rovers.

He has also secured the services of central defender Kelly Youga on a permanent basis.

Ardley said: “John is a bubbly character and Kelly is the kind of player who, without the injuries he’s had, would be playing at the top end of the Championship.

“We have been looking for someone to sign rather than loan, and Kelly is that man.

“He came very highly recommended, looked good in training and we felt he could play anywhere across the back. He is what we were looking for.”