- 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.
League Two – The Cobblers 3 Barrow 1
Northampton bounced back to winning ways in League Two with an excellent win over in-form Barrow.
Josh Gordon cancelled out an early opener from Sam Hoskins but the Cobblers won the game with a five-minute burst after half-time as Kieron Bowie and Tyler Magloire both headed home.
Barrow started fast and Gordon drew a save from Lee Burge inside the first 45 seconds.
However, it was the Cobblers who broke the deadlock with their first attack as Hoskins picked out the bottom corner for his eighth goal of the season after five minutes.
The visitors continued to dominate and they were rewarded eight minutes later when Sam Foley fed Gordon, who rolled his man before beating Burge at the near post.
The Cobblers gradually gained control as the game wore on and they effectively clinched the points with a double strike immediately after half-time.
Bowie converted Ali Koiki’s cross 40 seconds after the restart, before Magloire nodded in Mitch Pinnock’s corner four minutes later.
Barrow nearly got back into it but Burge produced a sensational late save to deny substitute David Moyo and thwart any hope of a comeback.
League Two – Stockport 1 AFC Wimbledon 0
An early goal from Fraser Horsfall proved the difference as Stockport edged out AFC Wimbledon.
County held on to secure their second win of the season, while the Dons have now lost three of their last four.
Kyle Wootton and Will Collar had already gone close by the time Stockport did break through after 11 minutes.
Skipper Antoni Sarcevic floated over a corner which was met by centre-back Horsfall, who headed home unchallenged at the far post.
Collar fired over from just eight yards, then the hosts threatened again when Wootton’s explosive half-volley was superbly beaten away by keeper Nik Tzanev.
Dons wide-man Ayoub Assal fired an angled shot over the top just before the break.
Stockport keeper Vitezslav Jaros produced a super save to keep out Harry Pell after the restart.
Pell was again unlucky as he planted a downward header narrowly off target.
Johnnie Jackson’s men improved in the second period and they were unlucky late on when referee Sunny Gill waved away appeals after Josh Davison was sent tumbling by Joe Lewis.
Anthony Hartigan’s stoppage-time strike from 30 yards was enough for League One AFC Wimbledon to beat fourth-tier side Northampton in the Carabao Cup.
The midfielder’s effort agonisingly squirmed through Cobblers goalkeeper Jonny Maxted’s grasp and into the net.
Before that the hosts had looked stronger, Dylan Connolly and Danny Rose both denied by Dons keeper Nik Tzanev.
But Hartigan’s speculative effort saw Mark Robinson’s side avoid a penalty shootout and reach the third round.
Jon Brady’s Northampton – relegated from League One last season – made six changes for the tie, while for Wimbledon it was a first victory since their first-round triumph at Charlton.
*in the last 20 games
Games Played – 17
Games Won – 3
Games Drawn – 7
Games Lost – 3
CHARLES BREAKSPEAR
Garry Maskell and Kevin Howick
Fourth Official : Aji Ajibola
- AFC Wimbledon failed to win any of first 12 league games against Northampton (D6 L6) but they have won two of their last four against the Cobblers (D1 L1).
- Northampton lost their last league meeting against AFC Wimbledon in March 2021 but have never lost consecutive league games against them.
- AFC Wimbledon have alternated between a defeat and a draw in their last nine league midweek games (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday), drawing four times and losing five.
- Sam Hoskins’ only Football League goal against AFC Wimbledon came in April 2012 while at Rotherham; he’s yet to score in six appearances against them while at Northampton.
