Karleigh Osborne reckons he and Paul Robinson are forming a solid defensive team which can keep AFC Wimbledon pushing up the League Two table.

The central defender has played alongside Robinson in all but two of the past seven games, with only suspension keeping him out of the Morecambe and Accrington Stanley encounters.

The most recent was Sunday’s 0-0 draw at title contenders Portsmouth, when the pair not only battled the south coast side, but also atrocious weather conditions.

It was also the Dons’ second consecutive clean sheet in the league, something they had not achieved so far this season, suggesting the 27-year-old’s talk of growing confidence is not wide of the mark.

“We’re delighted with the clean sheet, and we want to build on that,” he said.

No buses parked at Portsmouth as AFC Wimbledon pick up hard-earned point

“If we get a clean sheet as a back four, it gives the forwards a chance to go and win the game for us.

“There have been some chopping and changing at the back, but Robbo and I are getting our partnership together now.

“Although we were at Millwall together we never really played together, so we’ve had to work each other out and we are getting there.

“He is a good defender, that’s why he has played so many games at Millwall and why he did well at Portsmouth last season.

“We’re getting better and better with each game, which is what we want, hopefully we can continue to do that.”

Osborne had endured a stop-start season, and found himself down the pecking order behind loanee Semi Ajayi and the now-injured Will Nightingale.

“I was on the side-lines for a while, I was not performing to the best of my ability,” Osborne admitted.

“Last year I did not play a lot of football, but all I can do is keep going and give everything I can to Wimbledon, and I still have a lot more to give, and that’s what I want to do.”

Wimbledon Times:

Experienced: AFC Wimbledon's Paul Robinson

And it appears to be working with the Dons missing out on a place in the League two play-offs on goal difference alone, and now unbeaten in four outings.

Osborne said: “We’re putting a little run together in the league, and it is important that we keep doing that.

“We’re more than good enough to take any team in this league, and the self-belief is coming through and we’re growing with every performance.

“As long as keep doing that, we’ll be going in the right direction.”

He added: “I don’t think many people thought we would do much this year, but inside the camp we knew we could.”

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