If you think that AFC Wimbledon are limping to the League Two finish line, then boss Neal Ardley has a message for you.

Since the beginning of March, Dons have won just two out of 10 games, drawing five and losing three.

They have not picked up a win in five attempts, and are without a win on the road since beating Portsmouth on the south coast on Boxing Day.

Dons have fallen out of the race for the League Two play-offs, but are in no danger of relegation, sitting comfortably in mid-table.

The stats suggest the season is ending with a whimper and under a dark cloud of negativity, but Ardley insists otherwise.

He said: “We’re on 56 points now, if we end on 57 I can tell you: ‘It did not end how I wanted it to’.

“If we end up on 60+, then I will tell you: ‘I don’t see where the issue is with that” because that should guarantee us 13th at least.

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“We’ve never been close to looking like a relegation team at any point in the season – that’s a first.

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“Add to that we beat MK Dons, add to that we ran Bristol City close in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy, add to that the Liverpool game, add to that we had five academy players making debuts.

“Anyone who says it has not been good enough is being totally unrealistic.”

He added: “As much as people might think we are limping over the line results wise, there are a lot of positives.

“The problem is we’ve gone from the start of the season having an experienced team with the likes of Andy Frampton, Alan Bennett and Adam Barrett and all of a sudden we’ve got Deji, Jake Goodman and Jake Reeves in midfield.

“If you include Craig Tanner and Adebayo Azeez, then before you know it, we’re quite a young team. We’re very athletic but maybe naive.”