Two of Lyle Taylor’s former AFC Wimbledon teammates have spoken out about the Charlton star’s return to the Kingsmeadow.
The Addicks’ leading scorer was applauded in the pre-match warm-ups but received a hostile reception towards the end before leaving in a protective boot.
While he struggled to hit the target, twice missing close range opportunities, Naby Sarr and Igor Vetokele helped Charlton secure a vital three points in their promotion bid.
It was Taylor’s first appearance against Wimbledon at the Kingsmeadow since leaving for the Valley last summer, scoring 55 goals in 150 games.
READ: Bowyer's message to Sarr and Vetokele after AFC Wimbledon victory
Will Nightingale
Will Nightingale, who captained the Dons in their last-minute defeat to Charlton, said: “I've come up against Lyle a lot of times in training before, and obviously played against him earlier in the season.
“Lyle's a good player, he's very clever with how he uses his body. Personally I would've liked to have kept him more at bay.
“I mean, I got asked whether he's going to score or not in the build-up and I said I wasn't going to let him.
“That side of the job is done, but the only thing that matters to me is the result and we've not come away [with the win] so I'm absolutely devastated.
“It doesn't matter who I've come up against, at the end of the day my job is to keep the ball out of the net - whether it's Lyle or it's someone else - and I haven't done that so I've got to be better.
“I want to start giving more, if I can, for the club.”
READ: Charlton's Naby Sarr deemed fortunate not to see red against AFC Wimbledon
Joe Pigott
Ex-Charlton striker Joe Pigott led the line for Wimbledon alongside Watford loanee Michael Folivi, with both sides desperate for three points.
The striker, fresh off a hat-trick in the late 4-3 win over Rochdale during midweek, went close to scoring against his former club for the first time.
Pigott said he spent six months in the same team with Taylor before the 28-year-old departed for southeast London, adding: “He's really a good player and he's having a good season so I'm sure he'll continue to do well for them.”
Asked about his frosty reception towards the end of the game, he said: “You're always going to, you're always going to as an ex-player, but Lyle's a good player and he'll deal with that himself.”
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