Neal Ardley refused to park the bus at Fratton Park, but AFC Wimbledon and Portsmouth still played out a 0-0 on Sunday afternoon.

In torrid conditions on the south coast chances were a rarity, but the point has lifted the Dons to ninth in the League Two table – outside the play-offs on goal difference only.

The battle for the play-offs is a tight one as only one point separates Saturday’s opponents Wycombe Wanderers in 12th and Mansfield Town in sixth.

Hence why, despite going for the win, the Dons boss is happy with a valuable point.

“Portsmouth have said that teams go to their place and play one up front and park the bus, we did not do that,” he said.

“We played a diamond formation, with two pacey centre forwards, and with one in behind, and we came to try to take the game from them.

“In the first half, we lacked a little bit of bravery, we gave them the onus for 20 minutes when I thought they controlled the game.

World's strongest footballer AFC Wimbledon’s Bayo Akinfenwa bench-presses Pudsey Bear for Children in Need

“But we controlled the last 20 minutes of the first half, and we had some great chances and I thought they could not get out.

“The second half was a bit end to end without the cutting edge in the final third.”

He added: “But we’ve gone there, played two forwards, one in the hole, then changed to 4-4-2 late on, we did not change to 4-5-1 and try to hold on for a point, we’ve tried to go for the win.

“We are delighted with a point, but that was the second option.”

One name missing from the starting XI was Callum Kennedy, despite the midfielder’s two goals in the last two games.

Ardley said: “He was disappointed not to play, but it was more of a shape thing.

“Playing the diamond, we wanted the leg work from Bulman and Francomb either side of Reeves, then we wanted Rigg, who is a ball traveller, to come into those areas to take people on.

“We wanted to have that attacking threat with that front three in the diamond, and Kennedy has done brilliantly in changing to play left midfield for us, and now all of a sudden you’re asking him to play left side of a diamond in a new role.

“Although he trained well and is an intelligent boy, I just thought that was the best shape. Kennedy is an ultimately professional though, and he did a good job for us when he came on at the end.”

Ardley was also full of praise for his back five, adding: “I thought the whole back four were excellent, and the keeper, but it is a team game, the work-rate from the front was good, midfield put in an unbelievable amount of work and the back players stood firm.

“They did not make any silly decisions and defended the crosses well.”