Tuesday night, and I'm gazing at the BBC live text page, why? MK Dons it pains me still to type the name are playing Stevenage in the 1st round FA Cup replay. There's a chance, that we might have to play them, that pains me more. Stevenage pull the proverbial rabbit out of the bag and score in additional time, to take the tie to extra time. No more goals so penalties. So follows a penalty shootout via a website, its hell and also time delayed. The BBC textpage can't keep up, and alleges that Stevenage had won, when n fact spot kicks were still being taken. Like all Dons I was Stevenage till full time, and they did it.
Move the clock on 48 hours and I'm driving over the Dartford bridge to Gravesend, to watch the Dons take on Ebbsfleet. the form book says AFC wimbledon should have won the first game, but Ebbsfleet proved difficult opponents and there was nothing in the first half to suggest that anything had changed.
Thursday night is not football night, but ESPN want to show the game and no non league club can turn down the TV exposure and the cash rewards reputed to be £35K. At half time we're 2-1 down and although we led Ebbsfleet look the better side, and its hard to see us scoring once let alone twice.
Ebbsfleet ride the early second half storm, and the game seems to be running away from us. Terry brown makes an unlikely sub taking off a striker for bringing on ex-fleet player Luke Moore. Luke near ever present last season has been in and out of the team mainly through injuries. On the night however he produced a quality cross with 90 seconds of stoppage time and Sammy Moore prodded the ball past the stranded keeper with the outside of his right boot and the game was going to extra time.
A late night for me but at least no tunnel toll to pay as there was no chance I'd be crossing the Thames before 10pm. the thirty minutes seem to be failing to break the deadlock and on the terrace we were bracing ourselves for penalties when a hopeful ball was played into the Ebbsfleet box. The defence looked to the lino's flag but he waved play on and Sammy Moore took his time, remained composed and planted the ball firmly into the net. A minute later the whistle blew and the Dons were in the second round of the FA Cup for the first time as AFC Wimbledon.
On the way home the radio was full of "old tory" Lord Young, saying ' we'd never had it so good ' for most of the population this was a crass statement, but for Dons fans last night, it was undoubtedly true.
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