MX23RW : Sunday, December 15 01:58:48| >> :600:2538436:2538436:
[monks data]
MK Dons
League Cup | Round One
Aug 12, 2014 at 7.45pm UK
 
AFC Wimbledon

3-1

McFadzean (19'), Powell (49'), Afobe (76')
FT(HT: 1-0)
Tubbs (90' pen.)

Live Commentary: MK Dons 3-1 AFC Wimbledon - as it happened

Sports Mole's live commentary of MK Dons' meeting with AFC Wimbledon in the first round of the League Cup.
2

MK Dons are through to the second round of the League Cup after a 3-1 win against AFC Wimbledon at Stadium MK.

Kyle McFadzean opened the scoring for the home side before Daniel Powell doubled the lead after the restart.

Benik Afobe made it 3-0 before Matt Tubbs scored from the penalty spot with the last kick of the game.

See how the action unfolded here.


Sort:
Newest
Oldest
Good evening and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the MK Dons' meeting with AFC Wimbledon in the first round of the League Cup. Team news has just reached us here, so let's get straight that shall we?

MK Dons: Martin; Hodson, Lewington; Kay, McFadzean; Alli, Potter; Powell, Reeves, Green; Afobe

AFC Wimbledon: Shea; Fuller, Smith, Bulman, Bennett; Francomb, Moore, Tubbs, Akinfenwa; Rigg, Phillips

Of course, these two teams are not the best of friends. Animosity stems from MK Dons' decision to leave south London and relocate 56 miles to Milton Keynes and rebrand the side in the early past of the last decade, so tonight's game - just their second-ever match against one another - should have some spice to it!

In fact, such is the contempt for the League One side, that AFC Wimbledon fans are reportedly resisting attempts to spend their money inside the stadium, with many supporters choosing to eat a nearby IKEA store before the game, rather than line the pockets of their fiercest rivals!

AFC Wimbledon boss Neal Ardley admitted that MK Dons' move away from south London back in 2003 still "hurts" and brought the feud simmering back to the surface ahead of tonight's game.

He told the London Evening Standard: "It is always going to be there. It is such a strange thing and something like that will never happen in football again...

"Everyone knows how wrong it was, even they know it. There will always be that element of hurt within our camp."

A big plus point for the visitors this evening is the return of captain Alan Bennett. The skipper was stretchered off at the weekend and required stitches in a head wound, but he is back in the team for this evening's game, and expect the Irish defender to be right in the thick of the action tonight!


Around 1000 fans are expected to make the journey to Milton Keynes, and while Ardley, who played for the original Wimbledon for 11 years, accepts that tensions will run high, he wants to see a mature and disciplined performance from his players.

He added: "We would love to give them something to smile about and celebrate.

"My initial reaction when the draw was made was, 'Oh no, not again!' but me and my staff would love to be the people who lead the club to its first win against MK Dons. It would mean a lot and I am sure a few of our fans would like to buy us a beer!

"I have got to make sure I stay on an even keel but we will do as much as we can to make sure the players understand what the game means."

Meanwhile, MK Dons boss Karl Robinson has tried to play down the size of the game. He told reporters: "[The last meeting in 2012] was on TV and I thought the media hyped it up more than they had to. Now it's not on TV and we're left to our own devices to play the game.

"The league is more important than the cup for me. The game at Peterborough on Saturday is massive. It's the next game, so you want to win it, but it's not up to me to get carried away in the politics."

The two teams are just emerging from the tunnel, and while there isn't a lot of fans in Stadium MK, they are likely to create more than enough of an atmosphere in what could be a highly-charged cup tie!

So it looks like we're just about ready to get underway with AFC Wimbledon to get us underway...

KICK OFF And here we go...

And there's the first tackle from Francomb! That took all of 15 seconds.

It's tentative build-up play from the home side on the edge of their opponents' box and and they eventually concede possession after dithering too much. High energy start from both teams here. In keeping with the atmosphere inside the stadium.

Green tries to dance around a few defenders inside the area but is sent out of play and he kicks through the legs of a defender at the ball in frustration.

A nice ball in from the left causes AFC Wimbledon keeper Shea to fumble what looked right a routine catch, but the visitors get it clear before Tubbs is fouled around 40 yards from goal. Free kick for Neal Ardley's side...

It comes to nothing as Martin gathers comfortably and starts an attack for Karl Robinson's charges...

A corner comes in from Green, but this time Shea is equal to it as he clutches it with ease.

AFC Wimbledon can't really get out of their half so far. It's all being played with MK Dons on the attack. They're not looking too threatening, but Ardley will want his team to get hold of the football sooner or later.

Alan Bennett involved in a typically robust exchange inside his half but eventually wins the free kick.

There's a man down for AFC Wimbledon. Not too sure who it is at the moment, but he is need of treatment...

Ardley is going to be forced into an early change here. The stretcher is out and it looks as though it is the end of the night for Smith, I think it is. Kennedy is preparing to come on.

Yes it is Smith who has left the field. He looks in some pain on the stretcher. Kennedy is on and the game resumes

It looks like an ankle injury for the defender, he went in full-blooded into the challenge and came off worse.

First real shot of note comes in from Alli eho fizzes it wide from around 25 yards out. Not a bad effort from the youngster.

CHANCE! Biggest chance of the match so far and it is all down to the sheer strength of Akinfenwa. He literally shoved a defender out of the way and played it into Tubbs but his effort was saved by Martin. Perhaps it was too close to the goalkeeper. Big chance for the visitors.

GOAL! MK DONS 1-0 AFC WIMBLEDON (KYLE McFADZEAN)

And it's as simple as that for the home side. McFadzean meets a corner at the near post and cleverly flicks it in off his heel. Smart stuff! First blood to MK Dons

MK DONS 1-0 AFC WIMBLEDON (KYLE McFADZEAN)

Alli is attracting the fury of the visiting defence after going to ground too easily after trying to skip past two defenders. There was nothing doing from the referee and he made the right call. It was never a penalty.

The visiting fans are having a whale of a time by refusing the give the ball to MK Dons for a corner. Eventually they hand it back, play resumes

Good defending from Fuller as he repels the efforts of Powell down the left. He tried to dazzle but the defender stood firm and conceded a corner with a block.

CHANCE! Wonderful play from Powell takes three players out of the game and then himself as he is clattered but Reevs takes it on and plays the advantage. However his long-range shot curls just wide.

Powell is disappointed with himself there and he should be. He worked it into a decent position wide left inside the box, but fired it well over. Wasted! Home side still on top here though.

It's comfortable for Robinson's side here. The visitors are so deep that they don't have anyone within 40 yards of the MK Dons' goal.

Great cross from Fuller, but Akinfenwa can't quite direct it on target. Better from AFC Wimbledon though!

A teasing high ball comes in from the left for MK Dons, but it is well defended by the hvisitors before Green gets himself tangled up with a dribble wide right. All the attacking is coming from Robinson's men though.

They're aren't doing too much with these forages forward though it must be said. Powell is looking dangerous, but they can't seem to get the ball out left to him.

Lewington is enjoying far too much space in the middle of the park for MK Dons. He's just fed Powell is who is allowed to run at Fuller, but the right-back again makes an excellent tackle.

A complete and utter air-shot from Reeves on the edge of the box draws a hearty laugh from the AFC Wimbledon fans. Meanwhile up the other end, Akinfenwa wins a header and forces Martin to turn it on the bar and behind for a corner...

CHANCE! The corner drops to Rigg inside the box but his left-footed strike fizzes across the goal with no one on hand to turn it into the net. Best chance for the visitors.

HALF TIME: MK DONS 1-0 AFC WIMBLEDON

Well, not a vintage game, by a long chalk, but plenty of passion on show, which we would have expected. The visitors need to offer more in the final third though, certainly.

Akinfenwa has caused a nuisance of himself once or twice, but he is struggling when asked to have the ball at his feet. Meanwhile Powell has looked lively down the left, but Fuller has done well on a number of occasions to thwart the tricky winger.

Of course, the rest of tonight's League Cup scores can be found on the Sports Mole homepage. Elsewhere around planet football this evening, Real Madrid are ahead in the Super Cup against Sevilla thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo.

Manchester United's final friendly is currently goalless against Valencia, while Chelsea lead Real Sociedad thanks to a Diego Costa brace.

UPDATE: Manchester United are now leading through Darren Fletcher's 49th minute goal at Old Trafford. Louis van Gaal's Premier League career begins with a visit from Swansea City on Saturday.

Back to this evening's game and AFC Wimbledon will have to offer more of a sustained threat if they are to get back into this. It's been too easy for the home side at times. Darren Potter is being given too much space in midfield.

The two teams are emerging out the tunnel, so the second half is moments away...

KICK OFF He we go then, second half underway...

Slow start to the second half, with not a lot happening. The visitors tried to get Akinfenwa involved early on, but the ball was too long and it bounced over the striker as he tried to get it under control.

GOAL! MK DONS 2-0 AFC WIMBLEDON (POWELL)

Daniel Powell makes it 2-0 and it's a lovely finish. They backed him off him on the edge of the box and he has made the visitors pay with a lovely side-footed finish into the bottom corner. It wrong-footed Shea in the goal.

You would find it hard to believe if I said AFC Wimbledon were going to get back into this now. A two-goal deficit could have sealed their fate in this year's League Cup. We shall see...

A late tackle comes in from Alli and he promptly goes in the book. Deserved too, it was a clumsy one on Rigg by the youngster.

Now then, Afobe goes down under a challenge from Fuller. He was the last man, but the referee waved away the appeals. I think the defender has got away with that there. It looked like a foul, and it would have surely brought a red card.

This has been simmering for some time, and Buller and Green have become embroiled in a wrestling match before being broken up by both sets of players. The pair are booked for their scuffle.

Wonderful play from Powell again takes three defenders out of the game and lays a lovely ball across the box, but it is eventually cleared. Excellent wing-way from the goalscorer.

Reeves makes way for Hitchcock as Robinson makes his first sub.

AFC Wimbledon make their first chances as Sainte-Luce comes on for Francomb.

And that's another awful tackle from Afobe on Kennedy and he is given a yellow card for the challenge. This game is just threatening to boil over here...

Powell makes a long run down the left and he is teasing two defenders and eventually Moore has enough and boots the winger. Cynical stuff, free kick for the home side is delivered but Hitchcock can't react fast enough to tuck the chance away.

Delle Alli makes away for Mark Randall as MK Dons make their second change.

Lovely play from Akinfenwa as he holds off a challenge before spinning and laying in a teammate, but Tubbs can't quite get the pace to get beyond the backline and he is robbed of the ball when he tries to cut back.

Arthur comes in in place of Rigg for AFC Wimbledon.

MK DONS 3-0 AFC WIMBLEDON (AFOBE)

Bennett couldn't catch him as Afobe races through before calmly slotting past Shea with his left foot. Pace, power and composure from the striker. Good goal and that's MK Dons through to the second round...

Lewington went in with what looked like an elbow on Sainte-Luce there and he was lucky to ger away with that one really. Looked blatant on the replay. He;s getting a talking to off the official alongside Moore and play has now resumed...

Green comes off for Baldock as MK Dons make their final switch.

McFadzean makes a hash of a clearance as he slices it behind for a corner, chancew for the visiting team to restore some pride...

The referee spots an infringement in the box and the danger is clear for MK Dons.

Baldock with a positive run that ends with a shot on the edge of the box but it is tame and easily gathered by Shea.

CHANCE! Baldock is denied a goal as Bennett gets back to clear the shot off the line with his chest. That would've put the gloss on the result, but excellent defending from the skipper.

CHANCE! Well that's a waste. Sainte-Luce raced through after beating the offside trap but delays his shot before he is tackled. Akinfenwa then sees his header from the corner cleared off the line. Closest they have come to a goal.

PENALTY TO AFC WIMBLEDON

MK DONS 3-1 AFC WIMBLEDON (Tubbs)

Emphatic penalty is the last kick of the game as fans invade the pitch to celebrate the win over their fierce rivals. Deserved win for the League One side. The visitors offered little up top. The better quality showed. MK Dons go through to the second round.

Well, that's all from me, I hope you have enjoyed the commentary, in the end MK Dons win the battle of the Wimbledons, as they edge out their fierce rivals in only their second-ever meeting. As touched on, it is a unique rivalry unlike any other in England's modern game. But the visitors were no match this evening.

FULL TIME: MK DONS 3-1 AFC WIMBLEDON

ID:170799: cacheID:170799:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:28874:
Written by
Paul Gorst
No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Manchester City players pose together with the League Cup after winning the final football match between Manchester City and Sunderland at Wembley Stadium in London on March 2, 2014
Read Next:
Live Commentary: League Cup first round - as it happened
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
6pm
Chiefs
@
Browns
6pm
Ravens
@
Giants
6pm
Jets
@
Jags
6pm
Cowboys
@
Panthers
6pm
Washington
@
Saints
6pm
Dolphins
@
Texans
6pm
Bengals
@
Titans
9.25pm
Colts
@
Broncos
9.25pm
Patriots
@
Cardinals
9.25pm
Buccaneers
@
Chargers
9.25pm
Steelers
@
Eagles
9.25pm
Bills
@
Lions
Tables header RHS


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!