Returning to League One action after competing in the opening round of the FA Cup, AFC Wimbledon welcome Blackpool to Plough Lane on Saturday afternoon.

The Dons suffered a 2-1 defeat to League Two outfit Crewe Alexandra last weekend, while the Seasiders survived a scare against Hornchurch, needing a 118th-minute winner to book their place in the second round, where they will face Salisbury.

Match preview

Playing their first league match since Halloween, Johnnie Jackson and his Wimbledon side will be desperate to end a run of six league games without a victory, and 10 matches without a win across all competitions, when they take on a Blackpool side they have avoided defeat against in each of their previous five meetings.

With that said, the Dons are unlikely to have entered any previous meeting with the Seasiders in worse form than they find themselves in currently, having followed a 1-0 victory over Doncaster Rovers on September 12 with three league draws and six defeats, while also suffering early exits from the EFL Trophy and FA Cup during their difficult spell.

Taking on high-flying Stockport County at the end of October, Wimbledon entered the final stages with a one-goal advantage but conceded late strikes from Jack Diamond and Ethan Ennis to suffer another damaging defeat, before facing Crewe last weekend as favourites to progress in the FA Cup.

However, their journey in football's oldest competition came to a premature end as they suffered a 2-1 defeat against fourth-tier Crewe, with Charlie McNeill producing a memorable moment by scoring from the halfway line inside the opening 12 minutes.

With no further cup commitments until next season, Jackson and his side can now focus entirely on their League One campaign as they look to rediscover some much-needed form and move further away from the relegation zone.

As for Blackpool, they avoided an FA Cup upset at the weekend when they faced National League outfit Hornchurch, although Ian Evatt's side were forced to take the scenic route before eventually booking their place in the second round after extra time.

The Seasiders went into the break a goal behind but emerged with renewed purpose and soon drew level through a sweetly struck Jordan Brown volley, before Josh Bowler struck deep into extra time to spare their blushes and prevent what would have been a significant cup upset.

That victory means Evatt's side are now unbeaten in three matches, following an EFL Trophy win over Aston Villa Under-21s and a 1-1 draw away to Sheffield Wednesday, who spent the majority of that league encounter with 10 men.

While just one defeat in their last five matches across all competitions represents a notable improvement for the Seasiders, they still head into their 13th League One fixture of the campaign dangerously close to the relegation zone.

Three wins, three draws and six defeats have given Blackpool a slender one-point cushion over 21st-placed Wigan Athletic, although they do have games in hand on several of the sides immediately above them, while a victory this weekend would see them leapfrog Wimbledon, who currently sit 18th on 13 points.

AFC Wimbledon League One form:

AFC Wimbledon form (all competitions):

Blackpool League One form:

Blackpool form (all competitions):

Team News

Following the disappointing defeat to Crewe, Jackson could make a number of changes to his starting XI, although Wimbledon emerged from the cup tie without any fresh injury concerns.

Andy Yiadom came off the bench on Saturday and marked his appearance with a goal, potentially earning himself a starting opportunity for this fixture, with Isaac Ogundere among those most at risk of dropping out.

The Dons remain without forward Mathew Stevens, who continues to recover from a hamstring injury that has kept him sidelined since March.

Stevens scored 26 league goals for Wimbledon across the previous two seasons and has since been replaced by Jayden Stockley, who has impressed during his maiden campaign at the club and is expected to lead the line again as he looks to add to the six League One goals he has scored in 13 appearances.

Blackpool also had a substitute make an immediate impact last time out, with Bowler finding the net from the bench to strengthen his case for a return to the starting XI in London.

Fraser Horsfall made his long-awaited return to action at the end of October in the EFL Trophy but suffered another setback and is set to miss a third consecutive match, having last started a game in April.

The Tangerines are also without Irish midfielder CJ Hamilton and 33-year-old defender Michael Ihiekwe, who are recovering from knee ligament and muscle injuries respectively, while George Honeyman and Niall Ennis are also expected to remain in the treatment room, adding to Evatt's growing list of absentees.

In the absence of captain Honeyman, Karoy Anderson is expected to wear the armband in the centre of midfield.

AFC Wimbledon possible starting lineup:

Bursik; Tilley, Yiadom, Johnson, Seddon, Sasu; Smith, Harrison, Hippolyte; Stockley, Cornick

Blackpool possible starting lineup:

Peacock-Farrell; Williams, Lyons, Casey, Ashworth, Coulson; Bowler, Morgan, Anderson; Bloxham, Taylor

We say: AFC Wimbledon 2-2 Blackpool

With these two sides separated by just a single point in the League One table, we expect Saturday's meeting to be a closely contested affair, particularly given that both clubs are in need of points to improve their respective positions.

Wimbledon have struggled to find consistency in recent weeks, but Blackpool's own defensive vulnerabilities could give the hosts an opportunity to end their winless run, and we expect the sides to share the spoils after an entertaining 2-2 draw.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.