Ipswich returned to the bread and butter of league football after their UEFA Cup success in Yugoslavia and ended a dismal streak of three domestic games without a win.
They were good value for their success at Selhurst Park but they left it late - very late.
Deep into injury-time, substitute Darren Ambrose streaked through the middle and at the second attempt fired the ball past Kelvin Davis, probably off a Wimbledon defender.
Just 15 minutes earlier Ambrose had a vehement penalty appeal turned down in a tussle with Peter Hawkins and in the first half Marcus Bent had the best of Ipswich's numerous chances.
It came four minutes before the interval when he pulled his shot wide from six yards from Finidi George's cross as he was harassed by the impressive Mikele Leigertwood.
In the tenth minute Bent had wasted a chance by putting a good opportunity tamely against Davis' legs.
In between Tommy Miller's header was pulled down by the retreating Davis.
Dons' best chance came from the free-scoring Neil Shipperley in the 19th minute with a ferocious drive that flew just wide of the far post.
In the second half Ipswich continued to dominate in the surreal surroundings of a stadium that will soon be vacated by Milton Keynes-bound Wimbledon. Only 940 of the attendance of 3,238 were supporting the Dons.
For Wimbledon Leigertwood and Shipperley stood out with the industrious Jobi McAnuff also prominent. The question is when the Dons do move will he be going too? With a price tag of £2million he could be Portsmouth bound. As for Ipswich they look like pulling away from their lowly position particularly when Bent manages to polish up his finishing