MK Dons v AFC Wimbledon- A rather strange experience

It's a bitterly cold Sunday morning in December. It's one of those days where there's not a cloud in the sky and the sun is shining, but the icy winds and arctic temperatures warrant a scalding cup of Bovril and more layers than a morbidly obese couple's wedding cake.

Now I've got a lot of history with MK Dons. I went to the last game at the National Hockey Stadium (League 2 play-off semi-final defeat to Shrewsbury in 2007), the first game at this stadium (a 4-3 friendly victory over Chelsea in 2007), their first game at Wembley (2-0 Johnstone's Paint Trophy final win v Grimsby) and followed the team home and away in their first season at the new stadium with a Dons supporting friend, making our way to the footballing heartlands of Morecambe, Rotherham, Barnet, Crewe and various other places that Britain should offer to the Argentinians as a peace offering for the Falklands, before cutting them away from these Isles and declaring them Argentinian soil.

A cringe-worthy photo from our youth featuring Nick Wason, Rob Tandy and James Crook at Wembley in March 2008

Yet I can't help but hope that they are on the receiving end of an FA Cup shock today. I've certainly got nothing against Milton Keynes, but I'm getting a perverse sense of satisfaction as we enter the half-finished stadium just thinking of this club and it's supporters, who are undoubtedly the friendliest and most accommodating fans in the Football League, leaving here devastated in a few hours time, as the AFC Wimbledon fans who lost their club almost 10 years ago invade the pitch and create one of the greatest football stories of the decade.

It's not going to happen though. You can tell right from the start that there is no chance AFC Wimbledon will win this game. AFC manager and former Wimbledon player Neil Ardley has decided to get the team bus and move it in front of his sides goal, in the hope they can take the Dons  to a replay at the Cherry Red Records Stadium in 10 day's time. The difference in class is instantly recognisable; League One promotion chasers MK are famed for their tiki-taka football instilled by up-and-coming manager Karl Robinson, and League Two strugglers AFC Wimbledon don't know where to start in trying to keep them at bay. Opposition sides kicking lumps out of a passing football team is something I'm all too familiar with being a Brighton fan, and that was clearly part of the plan for the boys in blue, who's players just didn't have the ability to compete with MK's slick passing and movement.

The home side dominated the first half- and I mean dominated- but had nothing to show for it early on. Despite the possession stats turning more and more in MK Dons favour, AFC Wimbledon's solid back-line restricted their efforts, and MK were struggling to break through their opponents warrior-esque defending.

It took something incredibly special to break the deadlock. A 30-yard piledriver on the stroke of half-time from Irish international Stephen Gleeson, which flew beyond the outstretched arms of veteran goalkeeper Neil Sullivan and into the back of the net. You just don't save these (also note how many players AFC have behind the ball):

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xvjt43_mk-dons-1-0-afc-wimbledon-gleeson_sport#from=embediframe

MK Dons continued to dominate the game in the second half, holding possession for endless amounts of time in the centre of the field, yet still being restricted to long-range efforts by the resilient AFC defenders. The atmosphere remained tense, though there were some brilliant chants being exchanged between the MK Dons fans in the Cowshed and the AFC fans on the opposing side of the pitch, such as "who's the wanker in the plane" from the MK fans to the chartered plane AFC fans had hired to drag along a banner saying "We Are Wimbledon". AFC retorted with "Where were you when you were us?"

It seemed as if both sets of fans had forgotten that the game wasn't over on the pitch; both sets of followers more interesting in launching abuse at each other than getting behind their respective sides. But the game came back to like on the hour mark when former P.E teacher Jack Midson headed home from 12 yards to level the scores with AFC Wimbledon's first attempt of the match, leading to some over-zealous celebrations from the away fans behind the goal.

MK continued to press but their efforts were fruitless. As the home sides frustration set in, AFC Wimbledon's second attempt of the game could, and should have stolen the match from under Milton Keynes' noses in the final minute of regulation time when MK midfielder Darren Potter slipped on the edge of the box, allowing Steven Gregory a one-on-one with David Martin, which the former Wimbledon goalkeeper turned wide superbly.

And how crucial that save proved to be. AFC Wimbledon's hopes of a replay were shattered in the 92nd minute. After failing to clear a corner, the ball was fired back into the box and Jon Otsemobor stuck out a foot with his back to goal to score an outrageous 92nd minute winner for MK, causing pandemonium in the stands, with fans once again spilling over onto the pitch, this time from the home end. Here's a video I shot of the goal:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152319984110383&set=vb.652525382&type=3&theater

It was a deserved win for Milton Keynes but AFC fans will be feeling devastated this morning after being just moments from bringing the side that caused the death of their football club to a replay in what would be a highly intimidating atmosphere at their ground. 

Speaking to MK Dons fans before the game, they felt their fellow supporters had no issues with AFC Wimbledon and would show respect, despite their show of hatred towards the club. This clearly was not the case, as the MK fans gave just as good as they got, and I feel that today may well see the start of a fierce rivalry on the pitch, as well as off it. 

      FT: Milton Keynes Dons 2-1 AFC Wimbledon

MK Dons (4-2-3-1): Martin 7 Otsemobor 8 Williams 7 Kay 6 Lewington 7 Gleeson 8 Potter 7 Bowditch 6 Chadwick 8 (90 Kouo-Doumbe), Balanta 6 (Ismail 69); Lowe (Smith 82) 
Subs: McLoughlin, Macdonald, Chicksen, Sekajja
AFC Wimbledon (4-4-2): Sullivan 6 Osano 6 Antwi 7 Mambo 7 Fenlon 6 (Balkestein 90); Ajala 5 Gregory 5 Long 5 , Moore 5 (Johnson 83); Harrison 5 (Strutton 75), Midson 6
Subs: Jaimez-Ruiz, Mitchel-King, McNaughton, Dijali 

Goals: Gleeson (45); Otsemobor (90)-   Midson (59)

Att: 16,459

Referee: Scott Mathieson (Cheshire)

Official MoM: Dean Lewington

My MoM: Stephen Gleeson