AFC Wimbledon 3-4 Accrington Stanley: Dons relegated after defeat

Jay Rich-Baghuelou lashed home Accrington's opener

AFC Wimbledon's relegation to League Two was confirmed after they lost a seven-goal thriller at home to mid-table Accrington Stanley.

The Dons started the day in 22nd, three points behind 20th-placed Fleetwood with a goal difference seven worse than their relegation rivals - meaning a fair swing was required to overhaul them.

First-half goals from Jay Rich-Baghuelou, Colby Bishop and Michael Nottingham ended any slim hopes of a miraculous final-day escape for the hosts, though they did restore some pride through efforts from Ayoub Assal and Jack Rudoni.

Accrington made it 4-2 thanks to John O'Sullivan, with Rudoni's second not nearly enough to save Mark Bowen's side from the drop.

It means Wimbledon end the season winless in 27 league games, the longest run by a side within a single season in England's top four tiers since Derby's run of 32 in the 2007-08 Premier League campaign.

Though Fleetwood were beaten 4-2 at Bolton, the Dons would still have had to win by five goals to stay up.

Victory for John Coleman's Accrington, meanwhile, saw them finish 12th and secure a top-half finish.

A landmark first relegation for Wimbledon

It is the first time that Wimbledon have been relegated since they were formed by fans of Wimbledon FC in 2002.

They have struggled to get out of the bottom six all season and also found goals hard to come by, having won just six of their 46 league games.

Former Wales international Bowen was only appointed manager on 30 March, after the club parted company with Mark Robinson.

He has been unable to steer them to a win in his seven games in charge, including a 3-1 defeat by already-relegated Crewe earlier in April.

But a winless league run stretching back to early December has ultimately cost the Dons their League One status.

Having been formed from the aftermath of Wimbledon's move to Milton Keynes in 2003, AFC Wimbledon won six promotions from the ninth-tier Combined Counties League up to League One in the space of just 14 years.

The club also finally relocated to their former home in Merton in November 2020, as their redeveloped Plough Lane ground was completed.

But after finishing 19th and 20th twice in the past three seasons, surviving by a combined seven points in that time, staying up has proved beyond them this season.