Year Founded: 2002
Nickname: The Dons, The Wombles
Major Honours: League Two Play-off winners : 2015–16

As so often in the Wimbledon story, it all came down to a penalty kick. In the final moments of 2012/13, Jack Midson stepped up to score from 12 yards. It was a goal that not only secured victory over Fleetwood Town but preserved the new Dons’ hard-won League Two status. The wave of euphoria as relieved fans invaded the pitch to celebrate evoked memories of good times past.

Just two years earlier, it was Danny Kedwell whose final penalty kick in the shoot-out decided the Conference play-off final against Luton Town at the City of Manchester Stadium. Such penalty heroics were hardly something new for older supporters, who remembered the saves from the spot that immortalised the names of Dickie Guy and Dave Beasant in FA Cup folklore.

It was preserving that glorious past that drove followers of the club to start again in the summer of 2002 after a specially appointed three-man FA commission shocked football fans everywhere by allowing the old Wimbledon FC to relocate to a Buckinghamshire new town. Determined not to let a proud 104-year history die, Dons supporters organised themselves and within just six weeks AFC Wimbledon – a club the commission had declared would be “not in the wider interests of football” – was born.

Northampton 1 Rochdale 3- Leauge Two

The home side made all the early running but Dale struck against the run of play after 17 minutes when a free-kick routine saw Aaron Morley deliver a teasing ball into the box which Max Taylor guided home.

The response from the hosts was almost immediate though as Mitch Pinnock’s free-kick three minutes later was met by the onrushing Jon Guthrie and he planted his header into the far corner.

Those were the only two clear chances of an even first half but Dale took a grip on proceedings after the break as Josh Andrews skied an effort over before a goalmouth scramble was just about smothered away by the home defence.

Rochdale were deservedly back in front with 16 minutes to play when Morley grabbed his second assist, slipping through Andrews who had the freedom of Sixfields to beat goalkeeper Liam Roberts.

The three points were then wrapped up in stoppage-time as Abraham Odoh collected Danny Cashman’s pass and fired the ball into the roof of the net.

21/08/21	Northampton 1 Rochdale 3	L
14/08/21	Colchester 0 Northampton 1	W
11/08/21	Coventry 1 Northampton 2	W
07/08/21	Northampton 1 Port Vale 0	W
31/07/21	Cambridge 0 Northampton 0	D

Sunderland 1 AFC Wimbledon 0 – Leauge One

Winchester struck in the 64th minute to secure the hosts a fourth win in five games in all competitions this season.

Lee Johnson handed a first start to summer signing Alex Pritchard, but it was midway through the first half before the Black Cats seriously threatened Nik Tzanev.

Lynden Gooch cut in from the right but his low shot was straight at the AFC Wimbledon goalkeeper, who made a routine save.

Dan Neil failed to find the target as he met Gooch’s cross at the back post shortly before half-time, while the Dons’ best first-half moment came to nothing when Ethan Chislett curled a low shot wide of the target.

Sunderland went close at the start of the second half, but Tzanev clawed away Ross Stewart’s low shot.

Tzanev also saved from Elliot Embleton after the break, but the New Zealander was powerless to prevent Winchester breaking the deadlock.

Picking up a loose ball midway inside the Wimbledon half, the full-back tried his luck from 30 yards, and after taking a hefty deflection as it passed through a host of bodies, the ball nestled in the bottom corner.

21/08/21	Sunderland 1 Wimbledon 0	L
17/08/21	Wimbledon 1 Gillingham 1	D
14/08/21	Wimbledon 3 Bolton 3	D
10/08/21	Chalton 0 Wimbledon 1	W
07/08/21	Doncaster 1 Wimbledon 2	W

27th March 2021 – Wimbledon 1 The Cobblers 0

A dire game came to life in the closing minutes when Joe Pigott forced the ball home from close range to seemingly snatch a vital win.

The hosts conceded a spot-kick in the final seconds but Tsanev denied Hoskins with a stunning stop.

A first win in eight games saw Wimbledon climb to 21st and move level on points with the Cobblers with two games in hand.

In the early stages, Dons striker Ryan Longman seized on a loose back-pass only to be thwarted by goalkeeper Jonathan Mitchell, who raced off his line to block.

As befitting two teams fighting for survival, there was little fluidity from either side and creativity was sorely lacking throughout.

With time and hope running out, Pigott was on hand to convert Cheye Alexander’s cross.

But the drama was not done there as a late scramble saw the Dons penalised, only for Tsanev’s heroics to ensure the Dons took all three points

Played	Won	Draw	Lost	F	A
16	7	7	2	23	12

Played for both – AFC Wimbledon

Here’s an in-depth look at we look at players that have played for both the Cobblers and AFC Wimbledon. How many can you remember?

Rewind – A look back at some of our previous meetings,

Mr Ross Joyce The Cleveland-based official travels to the Sixfields Stadium for his4th game of the campaign and his second in Cup. Joyce is currently in his seventh season as an EFL match official.

ROSS JOYCE
Michael Chard and Matthew Smith
Fourth Official : Scott Tallis

His latest Cobblers Game

Date	Comp	Match	Y	R
2/04/21	One	Northampton 1 Shrewsbury 0	3	0
11/01/10	Two	Salford 1 Northampton 2	6	0
10/10/19	FA Cup	Chippenham 0 Northampton 3	0	0

Program

Tickets

Follow the match

This is the first ever meeting between Northampton and AFC Wimbledon in cup competition.
AFC Wimbledon have won just two of their 16 previous encounters with Northampton (all in league competition), though these victories have come across their last four such games (D7 L7).
Northampton have reached the League Cup third round in just one of the last 10 campaigns, doing so in 2016-17 before losing to eventual winners Manchester United.
AFC Wimbledon are looking to reach the EFL Cup third round for the first time in their brief history, with their only other appearance at this stage ending in defeat to West Ham in 2018-19.