Johnnie Jackson hails Omar Bugiel after winner against Harrogate

AFC Wimbledon manager Johnnie Jackson hailed Omar Bugiel’s cleanest of match-winning strikes against Harrogate as a reward for the “dirty work” he has been putting in for the team.

Bugiel’s first league goal since a summer move from Sutton saw him seal a 1-0 win at Wetherby Road, courtesy of a sumptuous, sixth-minute shot with the outside of his right foot.

It ended the Lebanon international’s 13-game personal drought in league contests and also sealed a third straight win for the impressive Dons, with manager Jackson enthusing: “It was a brilliant goal.

“He’s got that ability to score more but he also enjoys the dirty parts of the game and setting his mates up, which he has been doing for us. I’m pleased to see him on the scoresheet, though, and it was a goal worthy of winning any game.”

Jackson went on to suggest that the victory was his “favourite” of the season, as the team won by the slenderest of margins but never looked in danger of surrendering their early lead as the hosts were restricted to just two shots at goal all evening.

The former Charlton chief added: “It was a really good win and probably my favourite of the season because Harrogate is a tough place to come, a long way from home on a Tuesday night and a real test of your mettle, which we passed to get a clean sheet and a 1-0 win.

“We have played better this season, but I still regard it as our best win.

“The scoreline wasn’t comfortable, because it was only 1-0, but it felt comfortable because it did not feel like they were going to break us down. I couldn’t see them playing through us and it was a really solid away performance.”

Home boss Simon Weaver, meanwhile, was less impressed with Bugiel’s match-winning effort.

“It was a soft goal to concede,” he argued. “He’s got to be brought down or stopped there and it was a goal that could have been prevented, which is not characteristic of us.

“Our reaction to conceding was good, because we asked the players to keep passing the ball, which they did, and we played some good stuff but without ever looking ominous in and around the penalty area.

“It wasn’t for the wasn’t of trying, but we lacked the creativity and dynamism in the final third to upset them and had no cutting edge.

“After the first 10 minutes of the second half, the game then got a bit bitty and I tried to change that by going a more orthodox 4-4-2 with the substitutes but I can’t say we were any better, so that’s down to me.”