Features

"The Best Is Yet to Come"

by Texas Dave

This unfortunately is my last article about AFC Wimbledon for the BBC.

Question is, should one start at the end or end at the start, to be honest it doesn't really matter, I'm not the only one to get things back to front as AFC Wimbledon's fans, players and coaches turned the Dog & Fox Pub in Wimbledon so I drunkenly heard (slurred down the phone to me) into a Championship celebration a week ahead of schedule after their point against Hampton & Richmond.

The chances of a table topping collapse and I’m not talking of the one that apparently got danced on were so remote that any thoughts of a fourteen goal reversal in fortune were so distant that the game the following Saturday was considered by one and all a lot lot closer.

How we got here

Talking of games, a few have been played since I last wrote, Dorchester Town were next up on the fixtures list at the CRRFS-KM (Cherry Red Records Fan Stadium - Kingsmeadow). Succumbing to a two goal defeat saw the visitors sent packing thanks once more to the strike force of Kedwell and Main.

AFC Wimbledon

Jon Main taking his tally to thirty three on the stroke of half time, three minutes into the second half and it was Danny Kedwell’s turn to coolly loft the ball over the onrushing Dorchester keeper and double AFC’s advantage. This spurred Dorchester into action and some swift defending was the order of the day to keep the clean sheet.

Welling United were the destination for the following Saturday and the villainously named Sanchez Ming was merciless as he led Welling to a well deserved 1-0 victory thanks to his effort in the 74th minute. This saw the end of AFC Wimbledon’s eighteen match unbeaten run and to be honest the hosts could have had more had James Pullen not been in fine form.

Hand of god?

Next up it was a trip to Eastleigh, controversy reigned supreme in an incident which saw Eastleigh's Tom Jordan impersonate Diego Maradona when he punched the ball into the net following a corner. Soon to be known as “the Hand of Jord”, two days later it was still being claimed as head to shoulder to net ‘your honour’ despite everyone in the ground bar the match officials seeing what actually happened.

There was still half an hour to play and chances for AFC Wimbledon to right the wrong. Sadly those thirty minutes turned to fifty and the match turned to farce with the referee going off, saying he was unable to continue. Twenty minutes later and once a replacement official had been found  it was Eastleigh who put the game to bed scoring their second following some neat play down the left side of the pitch. Sub Elliott Godfrey managed to pull one back five minutes after entering the fray, but it was a case of too little too late as AFC succumbed to their second loss in just a week.

Back home

Both of the following fixtures were at home, the first against Team Bath, a team that following five promotions in just nine seasons would be told just five days later that the Conference had ruled that the club could not, in its current format, win promotion to its Premier division – and hence on to the Football League. A decision that would lead to them resigning form the BSS at the end of the season, a decision that as a result of the board of the Conference’s decision, means they will also have to give up their hard-fought membership of FA Cup competitions as well.

With that news still on the horizon Team Bath still put up a resilient challenge against the League leaders, only going under to two second half goals. Loanee Kezie Ibe did his future no harm whatsoever with a calmly taken goal following a slick move down the right. The students put up brave resistance but this was finally broken in injury time when Tom Davis lashed home a shot from four yards after Bath failed to clear a corner.

Basingstoke Town were the visitors the following week, and mired near the relegation zone were keen to do their fans proud after a season’s worth of woe. This they managed with a bright start, spoiled only by Alan Inns goal in the twentieth minute. Despite this they hung on to half time to only go in a goal down. With both sides almost a table’s length apart they were far more evenly matched on the pitch throughout the second half with neither side able to take advantage the game ended 1-0 to the hosts.

And so to Bromley

Local rivalries were next on the menu and Bromley were the hosts, this would be a game remembered for all the wrong reasons. With AFC Wimbledon leading 2-1, thanks to goals from Godfrey and Baptiste and Bromley’s sole reply from winger Ryan Hall. With just seconds remaining in added on time, Jon Main put the ball out so that team mate Jay Conroy could receive treatment for a hand injury.

With this taken care of and the Dons expecting the ball in the spirit of the game to be returned, Ryan Hall decided to do one better. He gave the ball a mighty thump and saw it loft over James Pullen waiting on the edge of the his area and into the back of the net.

Realising what he had done (intentional or not), Hall celebrated like it was a match winner, meanwhile AFC Wimbledon's bench went and spoke to Bromley's expecting in return a walk-in goal to atone for the error. Even the referee requested that this be allowed to occur, however Bromley refused.

Comparisons were made with Arsene Wenger's decision to offer to replay a cup tie against Sheffield United after Marc Overmars had done something similar. Ajax's second team in a Dutch match allowed a walk-in after another incident akin to the one at Hayes Lane.

No favours

Two weeks later and the only mention to be found on the clubs website is a two line report "Bromley recovered from conceding late on to secure a point against league leaders AFC Wimbledon at Hayes Lane." And their "own" tv station BFCtv online - "the official TV Website of Bromley FC" mysteriously has no video.

Hampton & Richmond were next to on AFC's radar. Luckily though for the AFC's players, H & R's Tanner was unavailable.

This match mirrored the previous one ending 1-1, and indeed was incident filled. They say karma has a way of making things even and one would like to feel there is some sense of poetic justice after two Hampton defenders took each other out, the referee allowing play to continue and Jon Main popping up to level the scores just three minutes from full time.

Before the match AFC Wimbledon knew that a draw would all but seal the title at their nearest and dearest's. An incident filled first half saw both sides fail to convert chances with both keepers forced into making saves to keep the scores level at the half on what could best be described as a 'bumpy' pitch.

Once again a set piece was AFC's undoing, this time a well worked short corner saw Pullen beaten as Francis Quarm sidefooted the ball home to give the home side the advantage less than ten minutes into the second half.

H&R sensed AFC were there for the taking and went for the jugular bringing on two subs. AFC Wimbledon's Terry Brown countered this chess move with two of his own and it was his that were to pay dividends as AFC sealed the equaliser that would see them almost promoted.

A lottery?

Almost (a 14 plus goal difference practically guaranteeing the title - and not a repeat of last years play-off lottery) was good enough for the vast majority of fans as they proceeded to the Dog & Fox in Wimbledon to celebrate nearly winning the title. Shortly after joined by the players, staff and management the party proceeded into the early hours for some with the after effects lasting a good few hours more for many.

However there was still one more game left in the season, one more set of opponents and still a title to win. Terry Brown decided to shuffle the pack, giving what many fans (and surprising others) inside a packed Kingseadow felt was a final goodbye to some, a thank you to some bit part players and a rest to some for their hard work throughout the season. Gambling that indeed H&R would not overturn that fourteen goal difference, nor Eastleigh a near double that goal difference.

Things got off to a good start with St Albans (reportedly without even a full bench) electing to give the Champions in waiting a guard of honour onto the pitch and on the field itself were almost as generous when the game got underway.

AFC Wimbledon having much of the possession and the game being seen by many as closer to a pre season friendly and the party atmosphere continued onto the terraces. There was also time to give out the Player of the Year Awards, before and during the match. Chris Hussey and Ben Judge being the lucky recipients.

The second half was a different match altogether with AFC coming out of their shells, to give the expectant fans a goal or three. The scoring was started off by Kennedy Adjei, doubled by Sam Hatton and rounded off by Jason Goodliffe.

So to the title...

The title wrapped up (finally) the players took their lap of honour soundly applauded by fans around the ground and the festivities could really kick off this time. Champagne corks were flying and each player when introduced was proudly cheered by AFC fans worldwide.

With this season now over, thoughts must turn to who will be here next season, Terry Brown says that can wait for now, though I think the team selection against St Albans was telling. A step up in divisions and a long term aim to go full time will see players move in and out. Who knows we could even see some more internationals like Dwane Lee arrive, maybe even an Italian defender, Brazilian midfielder and a Canadian striker.

As the sun sets on an historic day I recall the words a friend called Frank once said to me..... "I did it my way."