02 March 2021

Mark Robinson backs Dons youngster Ayoub Assal to have a good career

02 March 2021

AFC Wimbledon boss Mark Robinson backed teenager Ayoub Assal to go on and have a top career after his debut goal rescued a point in a 1-1 draw at Shrewsbury

A Harry Chapman wonder-strike gave the Shrews a first-half lead but Assal came off the bench to bundle home a leveller five minutes from time.

Robinson, who wants to see more attacking threat from his side, said: “I’m pleased for Ayoub. It’s amazing isn’t it, someone told me he wasn’t a good size.

“That is one of those football sayings. Is he a good size, is he a bad size? No, he’s just a very good footballer and he’s going to have a good career.

“We’re pleased with the point but we weren’t enough of a threat and we have to improve on that.

“We need to keep the ball better and find a way to offer something more in the final third.

“It was pleasing from another point of view that we’ve restricted them in the first half to two shots, and unlucky for us one has flown in the top corner.

“There were aspects I was pleased about, and we will climb out of this. We just need more from everyone.

“I don’t like using the world personality because they are good lads, but we just need a bit more. We need to grab games by the scruff of the neck and if we lose games I want to lose on the front foot and do everything in the right way.”

Shrewsbury stand-in boss Aaron Wilbraham said: “The feeling is frustration because of the late goal.

“We tried to go and win that, tried our hardest, but you get these nights where it doesn’t quite happen.

“The overall performance was good, we had the best attacking chances and in the first half we looked comfortable, and we looked comfortable up to the goal.

“Chappy (Chapman) has scored a great goal, he does that in training every day, the boys will tell you that.

“The manner of the goal we conceded was disappointing. We talked about stopping crosses and we didn’t do that.

“We could argue it was a foul on the keeper and if he makes more of that maybe he gets a foul, I know I had a lot of them given against me when I was a striker.

“And then we had two goals chalked off for offside which on another day could have gone our way.

“I’ve had a look back at them and they were both tight.

“The first one the linesman doesn’t put his flag up until the goalkeeper goes over which is a bit baffling, so we’ll have to look at that again.”

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