Plough Lane: AFC Wimbledon 2-3 Salford City

AFC Wimbledon 2-3 Salford City

When Wimbledon left Plough Lane in 1991, never would they have imagined it would take them nearly 30 years for a return to their spiritual home with the opening of their new stadium on the site of the old Wimbledon Stadium speedway and greyhound track which was coincidentally situated on Plough Lane too. I (Ross) planned to visit the new Plough Lane with Adrian last season when they played Oxford United however due to family sickness couldn’t make it. When the opportunity came about to visit Plough Lane, I relished the challenge of getting across West London. When Adrian last visited, he found it rather challenging driving through West London towards the M25. With this in mind, I opted to use the London Underground to get to Wimbledon. With nothing to do on Easter Monday, Adrian decided to join me on my debut visit to SW17. In the driving Bank Holiday rain, I drove us down the M1 towards Stanmore and parked in a suburb called Kenton parking my car on St Leonard’s Avenue and walking up to Kenton station taking the Bakerloo Line to Paddington before changing to the District Line and getting off at Wimbledon Park station. Just a 15 to 20 minute walk from Wimbledon Park station saw us arrive at Plough Lane by 1.00pm where we took some photos before heading to the Stadium Cafe on Garratt Lane. After our pre-match lunch, we made our way back towards Plough Lane taking in the surroundings before making our way through the turnstiles. Let nobody ever think excitement ends at the Premier League, this League Two clash proves that entertainment is still alive and kicking in the English lower divisions. A game which was end to end saw Wimbledon grab defeat from the jaws of victory and Salford City's Callum Hendry go from villain to hero all within 6 minutes at the end. It was an interesting clash of styles, the visitors clearly adopting a passing style while Wimbledon took a more direct approach. Wimbledon took the lead in 7 minutes, Leicester City loanee Kasey McAteer scoring with a low shot from just outside the penalty area, his first goal in senior football. It should have been two moments later but Ali Al-Hamidi fluffed his lines when clean through and goalkeeper Alex Cairns made an excellent block . At the other end Luke Bolton was causing problems on the right and both Lund and Galbraith had efforts just wide. In the second half City started to look dangerous with substitute Matt Smith brought on up front to support Hendry and it surprised very few when the visitors equalised on 55 minutes. Conor McAleny seized on a defensive misunderstanding to flick the ball past the keeper. However 3 minutes later, Wimbledon regained the lead when Al-Hamidi left foot volleyed home from close range after Jaiyisimi had driven back in a low cross from the left. It seemed that the home side were going to hold on. They remained positive going forward but this game was about to reach an unexpected astonishing climax. Enter Callum Hendry, son of the former Scotland international Colin Hendry. Salford City substitute Louie Barry managed to get free and burst forward only to be upended by Wimbledon keeper Nathan Broome. Clear penalty, and a chance for Salford City to grab a draw. Hendry, who had done very little, stepped up and agonisingly saw his spot kick saved by young Broome. Salford’s chance would seem to have gone, but Hendry had other ideas as he went from villain to hero scoring twice in stoppage time, 90 +5 and 90 +6. His first was a tap in at the far post as he read a header across the six yard box from Ibou Touray, his second and Salfords winning third involved the same two players. Touray’s low cross was missed by the Wimbledon defenders and the alert Hendry turned sharply to fire in a right foot shot past Broome. Pure jubilation for Salford City's players while Wimbledon for the second consecutive game conceded two goals in stoppage time. Wimbledon are a young side and they inexplicably switched off and their record suggests this has happened before. Salford City financially backed by amongst several members of Manchester United’s Class of 92, remain in the hunt for a play off position in League Two and possible promotion in their third season as an EFL club. Not the easiest journey to South West London but well worth the journey on Easter Monday for a terrific advert for the English game. Still in shock by what we just witnessed, we made our way back to Wimbledon Park station taking the District Line to Paddington where we changed to the Bakerloo Line taking us back to Kenton. After a short walk, we were back at my car for 6.30pm making our way out of North West London and headed Northbound on the M1. The perfect journey found us back at Adrian’s house by 8.30pm closely followed by myself arriving home by 9.00pm. All in all, another ground ticked off my list and a fantastic ending to a match too. A great day out in the capital!

AFC Wimbledon 3-1 Oxford United

AFC Wimbledon 3-1 Oxford United A word to the wise, if you ever visit this ground from the Midlands and North, use the London rail network, whether that be underground or other forms of the network. You will find it less stressful than negotiating the area by car. My (Adrian) only time visiting Plough Lane was in August 1986 for a First Division game and as I entered the road, I recognised nothing. The area has been completely regenerated. Apartments named after Wimbledon greats stand where the old stadium used to be, with a commemorative plaque to the old Wimbledon on the pavement. As you walk down Plough Lane, you see a retail park, various smooth flooring, multiple car dealerships and more very expensive apartments. It’s behind these apartments that stands the new stadium. The apartment development is still to be completed so ‘no entry’ fences dominate making walking around the stadium impossible. The bits of the stadium seen from Plough Lane don’t particularly inspire but when you get inside, the development looks smart and perfect for the club. Three single tier stands with blue and yellow seats plus a main stand which has three tiers, two of them hospitality areas. In the corner of this large stand is a bar area, called a fanzone which offers excellent elevated views of the ground. The game itself was a memorable one for Wimbledon as it was the clubs first win in front of their raucous fans. Although the club have been playing at the new Plough Lane for a little over 12 months, the Coronavirus pandemic meant all games last season were played behind closed doors, so this is the first season that Dons fans have been able to watch their team at their spiritual home after a nomadic period in their history. Their opponents Oxford United could have gone top with a win today and in the first half the U’s certainly looked the more dangerous. James Henry is always at the heart of their attacking play and delivered an excellent cross which Matty Taylor somehow headed wide when it seemed easier to score. Henry also had a low left footed effort which hit the base of the post. AFC Wimbledon had their moments but it was no surprise to me when the visitors finally scored in the first minute of added time at the end of the half. Wimbledon midfielder Anthony Hartigan dwelt on the ball too long on the edge of his own penalty area, Mark Sykes won the ball and accurately with his left curved it round Tzanev. Despite the name, the Dons keeper is from New Zealand. The bulk of AFC Wimbledon’s team are young academy boys whom I did not know but fair play to them in the second half they certainly gave it a go against more experienced opposition. 10 minutes into the second period they were level, Hartigans freekick, headed down by centre back Nightingale and young Jack Rudoni, complete with Alice band applied the finishing touch, heading home from close range. Immediately Oxford responded and a shot from distance from Brannigan was touched over by Tzanev. The game ebbed and flowed; it was anybody’s. However, AFC Wimbledon wore Oxford down and another set piece saw them 2-1 up in 78 mins. Will Nightingale heading home a corner on the right by Hartigan. Three minutes later the roof lifted off Plough Lane with a 3rd, with Oxford chasing parity the home side broke down the left, substitute Assal calmly found Rudoni with a pass just inside the box who superbly finished with his left foot. 3-1. The home fans created a great atmosphere which is always helped if your team are winning and clearly for many this was a moment they had waited a long time for. A home win in their own manor, as opposed to Kingston, Milton Keynes, Croydon and other venues for the reincarnation of the 1988 FA Cup winners. Several other side issues of interest: Both managers are called Robinson, Mark and Karl. The latter receiving constant barracking by the Dons fans because of his long-time link with the franchise club MK Dons. Interestingly Oxford sold their away allocation, indeed many U’s fans wanted tickets but couldn’t get hold of them, so curious that the away end was only three quarters full. I enjoyed the game, none of this over passing in dangerous areas that we see in the Premier League, proper football! Something that fans actually prefer and 3 hours later I was home, a difficult journey in which I really chose the wrong options but a worthwhile one.

Plough Lane

Thursday, April 27, 2023

AFC Wimbledon 2-3 Salford City

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