Preview: Swindon Town vs. AFC Wimbledon - prediction, team news, lineups

Having completed an impressive league double over the home side last season, Johnnie Jackson's side will be looking to continue in the same vein and pick up a third league win on the trot.

Match preview

Swindon Town failed to arrest their slump in form as they fell to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Crawley Town when the sides squared off at the Broadfield Stadium last Saturday.

Following a drab first half, 23-year-old full-back Nick Tsaroulla broke the deadlock in the 79th minute to hand the hosts the lead four minutes before Jack Powell made sure of the result with a brilliant strike.

Swindon Town have now failed to win each of their last four matches, picking up one draw and losing three, including a 4-0 defeat against Stockport County in the first round of the FA Cup on November 5.

Their recent struggles has been owing to a lack of sting and cutting-edge at the attacking end of the pitch, where they have scored just once in their last four outings, while shipping eight goals in that time.

With 31 points from 20 matches, Scott Lindsey's men are currently ninth in the League Two standings, two points above Saturday's visitors in 11th place and two points off seventh-placed Mansfield Town in the final playoff spot.

As for AFC Wimbledon, they continued their charge to the upper echelons of the league standings as they secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Grimsby Town last weekend.

English midfielder Ethan Chislett came up clutch at the Cherry Red Records Stadium as he netted the only goal of the game on the hour mark to hand the visitors their fourth defeat in five matches.

Prior to that, Jackson's men were dumped out of the FA Cup in the second round as they suffered a disappointing 2-0 loss versus National League side Chesterfield on November 26 courtesy of goals from Armando Dobra and Jeff King.

However, AFC Wimbledon head into the weekend unbeaten in each of their last seven League Two outings, picking up five wins and two draws since a 1-0 loss against Sutton United on October 15.

Having endured a slow start to the season, where they managed just two wins from their opening 10 league matches, the Don's recent resurgence could be pinned to their solid display in defence, where they have kept four clean sheets in their last four matches.

AFC Wimbledon will be backing themselves to maintain their new-found form as this weekend's game pits them against a Swindon Town side against whom they are unbeaten in the last four meetings between the teams, claiming two wins and two draws since a 2-0 loss in January 2012.

Swindon Town League Two form:

W

D

W

D

L

L

Swindon Town form (all competitions):

D

W

L

D

L

L

AFC Wimbledon League Two form:

D

W

W

D

W

W

AFC Wimbledon form (all competitions):

D

W

W

W

L

W

Team News

Swindon Town will take to the pitch without the services of English forward Rushian Hepburn-Murphy, who has been out of action since coming off injured back in September.

Cian Harries missed the trip to Crawley Town last time out and the 25-year-old is a major doubt for this weekend's encounter, while Conor Brann continues his long journey back to full fitness.

Having failed to find the back of the net in three of the last four matches, Lindsey could tinker with his XI this weekend, with the likes of Jonathan Williams and Tyrese Shade pushing for starting roles in the final third.

As for AFC Wimbledon, Jackson will be unable to call upon several key players down the spine of the team as the likes of Lee Brown, Will Jaaskelainen and Paul Osew continue their spell on the sidelines.

The duo of Will Nightingale and Nathan Young-Coombes have been out of action since September through long-term injuries and are out of contention for the trip to the County Ground Stadium.

Swindon Town possible starting lineup:

Brynn; Hutton, Brennan, Clayton, Blake-Tracy; Gladwin, Reed, Khan, Williams; Shade, Wakeling

AFC Wimbledon possible starting lineup:

Tzanev; Biler, Kalambayi, Towler, Currie; Woodyard, Maghoma; Chislett, Pell, Assal; Davison

We say: Swindon Town 0-2 AFC Wimbledon

With just two points separating Swindon Town and AFC Wimbledon in the standings, we anticipate an end-to-end affair with both sides going all out for the victory. However, the Dons are favourites heading into the weekend as the home side have suffered a slump in form and struggled to find the back of the net in recent weeks.

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