Another Tuesday night at the Meadow and another second half watching a side from near the bottom of the table defending a lead and no goals from the home team.

If you look carefully the opposition on nights such as tonight are like blooming flowers in time lapse nature photography – you can actually see the confidence and self belief blossoming within them.

Still, the atmosphere was generally lighter and more forgiving than in recent weeks, as fans forced themselves to remember that it had been, overall a rather good first season in a national division. Before the kick off Danny Kedwell was laden down with various Player of the Year awards (do you think there may be a case for streamlining the whole AFC Wimbledon Player Awards scheme?)

The ritual was much like the natives bestowing gifts and sacrificial offerings before King Kong on the island; an attempt to placate his capricious, destructive whims. The subtext was clear – look at how much we love you, please don’t go.

We’ll have to wait and see on the No 9 but after Brown letting slip about the decision to go full time last week, it seems certain that tonight was the Meadow’s farewell to a number of players, particularly all those slightly older faces who have proper careers outside football and cant commit to full time, which I take to be Ben Judge and Elliot Godfrey.

Godfrey got a skimpy farewell, withdrawn at half time, even though he was no worse than anyone else. It’s probably true that the former Ampton and Richmond midfielder never quite hit his groove with the Dons but he did well enough. Yes Mr Godfrey, you may be excused.

Arriving shortly before the Ryman Premier Play off victory Judge has been an outstanding performer for the Dons. With Johnson missing so much of the season through injury or playing at left back, Judge has been the pick of the central defenders. Next to him, Lorraine often looks like he developed much of his defensive technique pogo-ing in mosh pits at punk gigs.

It will also be farewell to the loan signings in particular Nathan (“football league – you’re having a laugh”) Elder who ended his time with us being carried off the field on a stretcher and reportedly in considerable pain. A miserable conclusion to what, after a bright start, must have been a miserable period for him.

The evening’s bright spot was an exciting new arrival. Apart from his fluky but marvellous goal, I though Ryan Jackson had been the least impressive of the kids in last Thursday’s London Senior Cup win. Tonight though, installed at right back, he was exceptional.

He’s too short to be gangly but he has something of the Jones Bamfo about him. He seemed sound defensively and he went forward with a determination and confidence that we haven’t seed since Hussey left. Oh and not only can he cross convincingly but he has a Rory Delap style long flat throw.

And so, because we must, to the actual game. A nice early moment when both Lorraine and Judge blundered when attempting clearances but the Tamworth striker gifted a one-on-one with the keeper looped it up over the crossbar. At the other end Johnson directed a free header wide from about 8 yards out, after Wellard had sent in a fine corner from the right.

1-0  In the 26^th minute Kedwell gave away a foul in the middle of the field. The resulting free kick was lumped artlessly into the area where it was allowed to bounce up and be smashed into the back of the net by a swivelling Wylde.

The second half was enlivened by two fine saves: Turner’s lightening reactions to deny a point blank near post header while Alcock was similarly agile to turn around a stooping Gregory header from six yards out.

The second half did at least see the home team make a decent fist of applying some pressure, though Tamworth were never pushed to desperation levels. Indeed they didn’t even have the good grace to bother time wasting.