Jackson's Dons hope to make up the difference

Johnnie Jackson is in his third season in charge of AFC Wimbledon

AFC Wimbledon manager Johnnie Jackson believes that playing all their games in hand will provide a truer sense of what type of season they can have.

The Dons are currently 10th, but have played fewer matches than any of the sides above them, after their pitch was flooded in September.

They play the first of their matches to make up at home to Accrington Stanley on Tuesday (19:45 GMT).

"We're a good team, but we're three games behind because of what happened with the pitch troubles," said Jackson.

"We went into the Barrow game 14th and it didn't feel like we had a 14th-position start, but we have to make those up."

The win at Barrow was a first on the road since August, but their form at the Cherry Red Records Stadium has been strong.

Victory over Accrington would take Wimbledon back into the play-off spots, as they face three league games in eight days with most of the division only playing once.

The Dons should therefore have a better idea of where they stand by the end of this month.

"What happened was out of our control," Jackson told BBC Sport. "At that stage, we were in a really good place, looking forward to two home games that we didn't get the opportunity to play. That meant we have fallen a little bit behind.

"I think we're a good team. Ask anyone who has played us and they will say they've had a proper game. It doesn't matter what people think on the outside but we know what we are on the inside and we are just trying to crack on."