AFC Wimbledon manager Johnnie Jackson has singled out on-loan goalkeeper Josef Bursik for special praise after the 26-year-old helped the Dons claim a 1-0 victory over Doncaster Rovers in League One on 14 September.

Bursik, who arrived at Wimbledon on a loan deal from Portsmouth on transfer deadline day, kept his second consecutive clean sheet for the club in the win, with Jackson insisting the signing was never one made simply to fill a squad space.

A keeper who "answered all the questions"

"They [Doncaster] are probably wondering how they haven't scored a goal," Jackson told BBC Radio London. "The reason they haven't scored is because we put our bodies on the line, we made blocks when we needed to, our goalkeeper's made saves and we generally worked unbelievably hard to keep the ball out of the net."

Jackson was emphatic that he had brought Bursik in to improve the side rather than simply to plug a gap, saying: "I wasn't just going to bring in a goalkeeper for the sake of it. But if there was an opportunity to bring someone that I felt could improve us and make us a stronger unit, then I would take it."

The Wimbledon boss acknowledged that the stopper had been tested severely by a Doncaster side that will feel aggrieved not to have found the net, but suggested his new keeper had more than risen to the challenge. "Joe is a top keeper," Jackson added. "The opportunity to sign Joe came up and we took it. He does most things very well, he's got a good temperament and it's started well for him."

Bursik impresses under pressure

Jackson was careful to temper expectations, noting that sterner tests will arrive as the third-tier season develops. "There are going to be tougher days," he said, "but [against Doncaster] he was put under a lot of pressure and he answered all the questions."

The clean sheet was particularly notable given Doncaster's pressure throughout the contest. Jackson credited a collective defensive effort, pointing to outfield blocks as well as Bursik's own contributions between the posts, suggesting the spirit of the whole unit deserves recognition alongside the goalkeeper's individual performance.

What it means for Wimbledon

Back-to-back clean sheets from a loan signing who arrived only on deadline day will give Jackson and the Wimbledon support considerable encouragement. Conceding goals had been a concern in the build-up to the window closing, and according to the BBC's report the manager acted swiftly when the chance to secure Bursik presented itself.

For Doncaster, the result is a frustrating one. Rovers will feel they created enough to at least take a point, and the sense that they were denied largely by a goalkeeper finding his feet at a new club will sting. Both sides remain in the thick of a competitive League One campaign where fine margins can shape a season's direction quickly.

With Wimbledon having now kept two consecutive clean sheets, the question for Jackson's side will be whether Bursik can sustain this form across a full third-tier campaign. The signs, on this evidence, are encouraging.

Frequently asked

Who is Josef Bursik and where is he on loan from?
Josef Bursik is a 26-year-old goalkeeper who joined AFC Wimbledon on loan from Portsmouth on transfer deadline day. He has kept clean sheets in both of his appearances for the club so far.
What was the result between AFC Wimbledon and Doncaster Rovers?
AFC Wimbledon beat Doncaster Rovers 1-0 in League One on 14 September 2026, with Bursik keeping a clean sheet despite Doncaster creating a number of chances.
What did Johnnie Jackson say about Bursik after the Doncaster game?
Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson said Bursik 'answered all the questions' posed of him, describing the goalkeeper as a 'top keeper' with good temperament who was brought in specifically to improve the squad, not just to fill numbers.