AFC Wimbledon 1 Gillingham 0: League 2 match report from the Cherry Red Records Stadium, Plough Lane

Gillingham ended the year by adding another defeat to their tally at AFC Wimbledon.

Matty Stevens scored the winner for the Dons from a corner early in the second half after a much-improved performance from the Gills failed to produce a goal.

The Gills could feel a little aggrieved on the night after being denied a clear penalty and conceding a goal which seemingly went in off an arm.

Gillingham had some making up to do at Wimbledon and they certainly played with more energy than on their previous outing but they were still lacking where it mattered. They didn’t get some big decisions on the night but didn’t do enough in the attacking third.

Captain Max Ehmer spoke about repaying their own fans with a “massive performance” after the sloppy Boxing Day show, losing 2-0 at Colchester United.

The U’s that day weren’t just better players, they were more switched on, more imaginative, creative, harder working, clearly up for it and in the end deserved winners.

Manager Mark Bonner reacted to that by making some interesting changes.

Armani Little was an obvious pick, fit again to start against his former team. Two of the other three changes to his XI raised more eyebrows.

Bradley Dack made his first league start since rejoining in the summer and there was a league debut for young Sam Gale - preferred in defence ahead of more experienced Shad Ogie.

Gale started the season on loan at National South Chelmsford City and was recalled in early December. He was in a three-man central defensive unit in a switch back to a 5-4-1 formation, matching up to a wing-back system played by the Dons.

The Gills started the evening trailing the Dons by four points. They had catching up to do if they wanted to start showing they were serious about