Neal Ardley defended Adebayo Akinfenwa after the AFC Wimbledon striker fluffed a penalty in Saturday's 2-0 win against Newport County.

Akinfenwa scored both Dons goals, but his nonchalant spot-kick gave Exiles keeper Joe Day an easy save with the score at 1-0.

The Beast has netted 11 times in League Two this season and Ardley was quick to underline Akinfenwa's contribution to the Dons' season.

Ardley said: “I wouldn’t have a pop at Adebayo - he’s too big. He could have made life easier, but strikers don’t mean to miss goals.

"The only time I will get on at players is when they don’t give 100 per cent.

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“We had a situation at Cambridge where he missed a chance and two minutes later we conceded and lost the game, but that is just part of the game for a striker.

“Bayo Akinfenwa and [former striker] Matt Tubbs have been a part of 39 of our 40 goals this season either by scoring assisting or playing a big part in the build up," he added.

“He (Akinfenwa) has now been involved in 20 of our 40 goals so don’t think that I’m going to have a go at him when he doesn’t get one of them right.”

Akinfenwa was partnered by veteran Republic of Ireland international David Connolly, who made his first start for the Dons after three substitute appearances.

The 37-year-old struck up a promising partnership with the Beast and almost opened his Wimbledon account with one first-half effort that drifted just wide.

Surrey Comet:

First start: David Connolly made his full debut on Saturday in the 2-0 win over Newport County

Connolly lasted 70 minutes before being replaced by Ade Azeez and Ardley liked the look of his classic big man/little man combination up front.

“David Connolly played really well. He’s sharp and he has been unbelievable in training," said Ardley.

“What happened has probably knocked his confidence and that is understandable for someone who has been an international.

“At training he has been outstanding and the boys have so much respect for him. He is a class act," he added.

“I made the decision to play him today because we have eight games in a short amount of time and why wait till the end to get him up to speed.

"I knew he would work well with Adebayo but it was one of those situations where he nearly got on the scoresheet and I was dying for him to get the goal."