AFC Wimbledon beat Notts County to tee up Walsall showdown in League Two play-off final | OneFootball

Josh Neufville’s early goal sets seal on semi-final victory as Dons target return to third tier at Wembley

Celebration: Josh Neufville scored the only goal of the game as AFC Wimbledon beat Notts County again on Saturday

John Walton/PA Wire

AFC Wimbledon secured their place in the League Two play-off final as they defeated Notts County 2-0 on aggregate.

The Dons will face Walsall at Wembley on Monday, May 26 for a place in League One.

With veteran striker David McGoldrick ruled out because of injury, and Alassana Jatta missing through suspension after being dismissed in the first leg, Notts County manager Stuart Maynard was forced to make changes with Mai Traore coming in to lead the attack.

AFC Wimbledon took their first step to Wembley after just eight minutes. Neufville controlled the ball on the left-hand side of the area, and was able to lob ‘keeper Alex Bass standing off his line, to put the hosts two goals up on aggregate.

Needing an early response to get themselves back in the tie, Notts County started pressing the resolute home defence. However, the Dons repelled the pressure on their back line in the Plough Lane sunshine.

The hosts had the perfect chance to wrap proceedings up 10 minutes after the restart. Matty Stevens fed Marcus Browne, but his effort was heroically blocked by Lewis Macari.

Browne himself was testing the energy of the Notts County back line, using his pace to excellent effect.

In their first real effort of the contest, Notts County tested Owen Goodman, when a Jodi Jones shot from outside the area was palmed away by the Crystal Palace loanee.

Stevens looked set to put the tie beyond any doubt on 69 minutes, when he found space in the area from a deep James Tilley cross. However, Bass denied him with an excellent one-handed save to turn his effort around the post.

Wimbledon kept searching for the second goal of the afternoon, with Tilley testing Bass again on 72 minutes with a long-range effort.

Perhaps needing some extra energy for the closing stages, the hosts subbed Stevens and Myles Hippolyte for Aron Sasu and Callum Maycock, respectively.

To their credit, Notts County kept pressing for any opening they could carve out, but the home side continued to stay firm.

Sasu shot straight at Bass late on, and the celebrations at full-time were the result of a well-earned trip to Wembley.