Preview: Stevenage vs AFC Wimbledon - prediction, team news, lineups

Looking to bounce back from defeat on Tuesday, playoff-chasing Stevenage welcome AFC Wimbledon to Stevenage FC Stadium for a League One clash on Saturday afternoon.

The Boro suffered a rare home loss at the hands of struggling Leyton Orient last time out, whilst the Dons picked up a handsome success on their own patch versus Blackpool.

Match preview

Navigating their third straight campaign in League One following promotion from the fourth tier in 2023, Stevenage are on a mission to secure a playoff spot in the third tier for the first time since the 2011-12 season.

The Boro's top-six aims took a major hit on Tuesday night, though, when a brilliant brace from striker Dominic Ballard for Leyton Orient condemned the hosts in Hertfordshire to their 11th loss of the league term to date.

Unable to make it three consecutive wins earlier in the week, Stevenage have dropped down to eighth spot in the League One standings ahead of this Saturday's Wimbledon meeting, a single point behind sixth-placed Huddersfield Town with 11 matches left to play.

Alex Revell's troops have cut a formidable figure at the Stevenage FC Stadium this season, with only Lincoln City (1) and Bolton Wanderers (1) losing fewer home matches than playoff-chasing Boro, who have conceded just 11 goals across 17 games in front of their loyal followers.

Dreaming of an unlikely spot at this summer's World Cup with Northern Ireland, Stevenage striker Jamie Reid is the star man in Hertfordshire, with the 31-year-old netting 12 goals in 33 League One appearances during 2025-26.

Since a damaging 4-1 loss at the base of Championship-bound Cardiff City on February 17, AFC Wimbledon have produced an impressive four-game unbeaten run (W3 D1) in League One, improving their chances of mounting a late playoff charge.

The most emphatic result of the promising quartet arrived on Wednesday night at The Cherry Red Records Stadium, where relegation-threatened Blackpool were hit for four - the most Johnnie Jackson's side have scored in a single league fixture this season.

Collecting a highly-commendable 10 points from their last four third-tier fixtures, the Dons have moved up to 11th position in the League One table, six points behind sixth-placed Huddersfield, who have crucially played a game more.

Since a New Year's Day success at Leyton Orient, Wimbledon have won just one of their past six league outings, with that solitary success arriving at the base of FA Cup giant-killers Port Vale on February 3.

Largely down to the two sides clashing in both the 2023-24 and 2025-26 editions of the EFL Trophy, the Dons and Stevenage have only played one of their last six competitive clashes at the Stevenage FC Stadium, where the hosts picked up maximum League Two points in April 2023.

Stevenage League One form:

W W L W W L

AFC Wimbledon League One form:

D L W D W W

Team News

Replaced during the half-time interval earlier in the week, Stevenage's Saxon Earley could drop to the bench this weekend.

Providing a more defensive option on the flanks, Lewis Freestone is in line for his 25th League One start of the campaign.

A number of Boro attackers will be targeting promotions into the starting XI, including Jordan Roberts and Berlyly Lubala.

Picking up his seventh assist of the campaign on Wednesday, Wimbledon's Steve Seddon will continue to be a key creative force from wing-back.

After goalscoring cameos from the bench at the expense of Blackpool, Omar Bugiel and Zack Nelson are pushing for starts.

Stevenage possible starting lineup:

Marschall; Wildin, Goode, Piergianni; Pattenden, Thompson, White, Freestone; D Phillips, Reid, M Phillips

AFC Wimbledon possible starting lineup:

McDonnell; Ogundere, Bauer, Johnson; Asiimwe, Maycock, Smith, Hippolyte, Seddon; Stevens, Browne

We say: Stevenage 2-1 AFC Wimbledon

Losing just two of their 17 home matches this season, Stevenage will be confident of returning to winning ways in front of their own supporters on Saturday.

Wimbledon have shone at The Cherry Red Records Stadium over the past week but are set for a difficult afternoon in Hertfordshire this weekend.

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