You just can't keep the Dons down at the moment - as Liverpool found to their cost at Selhurst Park on Sunday.

Joe Kinnear reckons this is the best Wimbledon team he has had during his near-eight year reign, and his players show no sign of proving him wrong.

The in-form Dons have only lost one home game this season - 2-1 to Everton way back on October 1.

Since then, big scalps in the league (Arsenal and Liverpool) and the Worthington Cup (Chelsea) have served to underline the manager's belief that his team can win a place in the top six next season.

Kinnear said: "Any team that comes here thinking we're a soft touch is going to get turned over."

As usual most post-match discussion focused not on the Dons' resilience and skill, but on the so-called weakness of their opponents - a fact Kinnear has learnt to accept. Yet it was the same against Arsenal - so the Dons must be doing something right.

"We played good football although everyone will still go on about us playing the long ball," Kinnear said.

"If Frank Leboeuf hits the ball 60 yards it's a wonderful ball. If one of my men does that it's a punt upfield."

This victory leaves Wimbledon eighth in the table and strong contenders for a UEFA Cup place. And they have the opportunity to improve their position when they face struggling Southampton at the Dell on Saturday. Despite the talents of Matthew Le Tissier, the Saints have won just once in the league all season - and have lost five out of eight at home.

Not for the first time this season, the Dons had Neil Sullivan to thank for some great saves to keep his team in the match.

Throughout the first half the Dons were on the back foot, with Vegard Heggem and Stig Inge Bjornebye making easy inroads through Wimbledon's midfield and defence.

Sullivan's agility stopped certain goals from Heggem and Patrik Berger, who unleashed a stinging 25 yard drive after just 15 minutes had gone.

Kinnear conceded that this was a hard won match - "We had to dig in" he said afterwards - and whatever he told his players at half-time obviously worked with left-back Ben Thatcher starting to exploit the space left by Heggem.

The Dons' goal came after 48 minutes. Hughes and Gayle opened up the flat footed Liverpool defence, and from Gayle's mis-hit shot, skipper Robbie Earle poked the ball into the net.

More excitement was to come when England golden boy and BBC Sports Personality of the Year, Michael Owen failed to score from the penalty spot, scuffing the ball into the hands of a grateful Sullivan.

It was pure justice. Referee Gary Willard was surely the only man to be conned by Paul Ince's fall after the England midfielder had been challenged by Neal Ardley.

Sub Efan Ekoku missed a perfect chance to make it 2-0, firing straight at David James after Michael Hughes had ripped through the heart of the Liverpool defence.

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