We entered the final few days of 2010, still sitting at the top of the league, and with a great day out to look forward to in the FA Cup. The injured players were starting to make their way back from injury and with the January transfer window looming I had to think if and what positions need strengthening. I feel we have great cover in defence and midfield, with maybe a good striker to be brought in to take some pressure off Danny Kedwell maybe being an option.
MATCHDAY 24
AFC WIMBLEDON 3 - 0 EASTBOURNE BORO
Another great performance today and we kept our amazing run going in front of goal. Matthew Saunders(10) gave us the lead and there was only going to be one winner, it was just seeing by how many. The remaining goals came in the second half by Danny Kedwell(53) and Brett Johnson(84) who was starting to become a real threat from set pieces.
MATCHDAY 25
BARROW 0 - 1 AFC WIMBLEDON
This was our second game in as many days, and that was evident in this lack luster performance, Brett Johnson(37) again the goalscorer. Despite a mediocre performance against a lowly place Barrow side, a win is a win and we can't expect to play well every week.
MATCHDAY 26
AFC WIMBLEDON 2 - 0 RUSHDEN
A festive home fixture and another home win to go with it. Ryan Jackson(10) and a Danny Kedwell(Pen,21) was enough to see us home safely.
*****TRANSFER NEWS*****
AFC Wimbledon today have reached an agreement with Tottenham Hotspur for the loan signing of forward Jonathan Obika. Obika has joined for the rest of the season.
AFC Wimbledon boss Andy Samuels had this to say '' I'm delighted we have managed to secure Jonathan on loan for the remainder of the campaign. He will bring great experience, especially as he has featured in Europe for Spurs and has trained daily with a highly talented group of players, and I'm grateful to Mr Redknapp for allowing us to help Jonathan's development. He will become a vital part of the squad and take the goalscoring burden off Danny Kedwell. I'm sure the fans, like myself can't wait to see him pull on the shirt''.
MATCHDAY 27
CRAWLEY 1 - 1 AFC WIMBLEDON
There was great anticipation for this league game between two teams everyone at the start of the season was tipping to be promotion contenders. The game didn't disappoint either, it was Crawley who broke the deadlock through the dangerous Gifton Noel-Williams(40) to give them the lead at the halfway point. The second half was just like the first with chances going begging at both ends. I had to go for it in the closing stages and the gamble of going with three up front paid off as Mark Nwokeji(86) finished off a fine move.
FA Cup 3rd Round
MAN CITY 7 - 1 AFC WIMBLEDON
Well we didn't expect anything from this game. I had hoped the players would enjoy the occasion and it would bring in a nice cash boost and as you can see by the score maybe we were overwhelmed by the day, but it did bring a nice finacial gain and gave the players a taste of what we want to face every week.
Man City fielded a very strong side and Carlos Tevez(16,24,52,63) was the main threat on our goal, with Kolo Toure(29), Adam Johnson(33) and Dedryck Boyata(48) also getting in on the act. The one positive we could take was by scoring the goal of the game a 20 yard chip by Danny Kedwell(68) over the helpless Shay Given. Maybe I had hoped for a kinder score line, but it wasn't to be. My next challenge would be to pick the players up and make sure we finish what I had told the board, that I was confident of promotion.
MATCHDAY 28
AFC WIMBLEDON 3 - 1 ALTRINCHAM
There was no time to hide from our drubbing in the cup, and the players again rolled their sleeves up and reacted from the disappointment with a superb performance. I kept faith the players that have done very well for me in the league, meaning Jon Obika was still waiting for his debut. Christian Jolley(28) and Danny Kedwell(34) gave us a deserved lead, Sam Hewson(42) scored a brilliant free kick to pull a goal back just before the break. Obika came on in the second half and set up Ryan Jackson(86) for our third of the evening.
FA Trophy 2nd Round
AFC WIMBLEDON 3 - 0 KIDDERMINSTER
Jonathan Obika was handed his full debut today as I changed to a 4-4-2 formation for the game, and he had a hand in all three goals and showed the fans the potential he has. Goals from Kirk Hudson(21), Danny Kedwell(27) his 26th of the season and Conor Coady(59) ensured a safe passage through to the next round.
*****Hope you are enjoying so far, Next update will be either tomorrow night or Wednesday.
---------- Post added at 09:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:12 AM ----------
We added Jon Obika to the squad as back up to Kedwell and also to use him as a second striker when we played 442. The other area I was looking to add to in the transfer window was someone to play just behind our lone striker in my favoured formation of 4231, Luke Moore has done brilliantly there, but at present isn't as prolific in front of goal as I hoped and he was just coming back from injury. So with a couple weeks left of the window I was looking who could fit the bill.
***** TRANSFER NEWS *****
AFC Wimbledon have announced on their website the season long loan signing of Liverpool youngster Nikola Saric.
'' I have brought Nikola in to add more competition to the squad and to add that bit of magic we may need to help us through a pile up of fixtures that await.'' added Andy Samuels
MATCHDAY 29
BATH 0 - 2 AFC WIMBLEDON
How we came away with anything from this game I don't know, we were very sluggish throughout and second best to everything. Steven Gregory(37) gave us an undeserved lead at half time. In the second half Bath continued to dominate and if they had someone who could score it would have been a different outcome, as Danny Kedwell(Pen,61) put the game out of reach and we claimed a lucky 3 pts.
MATCHDAY 30
AFC WIMBLEDON 0 - 1 GATESHEAD
A huge setback and another shocking performance in this surprising defeat. We never got going and looked like a team that never played together. Kris Gate(56) scored the only goal and it could've been more.
MATCHDAY 31
GRIMSBY 1 - 1 AFC WIMBLEDON
Again I was disappointed by another lacklustre performance and it proved to be costly. With Luton getting a win in their game, it meant they leapfrogged us to 1st place on goal difference. We were rubbish in the first half and were extemely lucky going in level at the break. Alan Connell(61) gave the hosts a deserved lead, but not for the first time Brett Johnson(79) got us a crucial goal to ensure we got a point.
FA Trophy 3rd Round
ST ALBANS 3 - 3 AFC WIMBLEDON
The game was very entertaining for the neutral but as in our previous games we weren't great, although we did go 3-1 up through Conor Coady(24,64) and Reece Jones(81), with a Sean Shields(7) goal giving them an early lead. The game had huge controversy in the last 2 minutes with David Deeney(88) getting St Albans right back into the game, the fourth official held up 3 minutes of injury time, and as I was checking my watch, Anton Bryan(96) equalised with a goal 3 minutes over the 3 minutes added. To say I was furious was an understatement, not with the officials but our shocking defending.
FA Trophy 3rd Round Replay
AFC WIMBLEDON 1 - 1 ST ALBANS
(AFC Wimbledon won 3-2 AET)
We made extemely hard work of this replay and found ourselves behind Anton Bryan(4) with the early goal. Matthew Saunders(27) pulled us level and the score stayed the same for the 90minutes. Ryan Jackson(92) and Kirk Hudson(104) looked to have put the game out of reach, but Ross Dedman(112) ensured a nervous final few minutes.
MATCHDAY 32
KIDDERMINSTER 0 - 5 AFC WIMBLEDON
After a very sloppy end of January and start of February I was delighted we got out of our mini slump and produced a superb attacking performance. Danny Kedwell(Pen 13,77,86) helped himself to a hat-trick and Brett Johnson(20), Sam Hatton(22) also got on the scoresheet to guide us to our biggest away win.
MATCHDAY 33
AFC WIMBLEDON 4 - 1 HISTON
It looked like we were back to winning ways and back to top of the league as Luton slipped up in their previous game and they were beaten by Crawley as we were getting another deserved 3pts over Histon.
Christian Jolley(31) and Kirk Hudson(42) put us 2 up, and Luke Moore(66) got our 3rd with only his 2nd of the season. Antonio Murray(72) scored from yet more poor defending for Histon who were reduced to ten players when Remy Clerima(Sent off,64) for a professional foul. Then it was left to Danny Kedwell(93) to score his 30th goal in 33 games.
MATCHDAY 34
FOREST GREEN 0 - 1 AFC WIMBLEDON
This game was settled by an early Steven Gregory(7) goal, and although we dominated throughout we missed numerous chances, with Jon Obika being the biggest culprit missing a number of chances and still searching for his first goal. Nikola Saric made his comeback in this game from a month off with an ankle injury.
*****Next Update Will Be Tomorrow.
