AFC Wimbledon 3:2 Port Vale
(Midson, Gwillim, Jolley : Dodds, Morsy)
Leccy Board League Two : 03/09/2011
Kingsmeadow, Kingston Upon Thames : Ground no.68
If there was ever a reinforcement for why I am attempting to attend every ground in the Football League, this was perfect material. A romantic last-minute winner at Kingsmeadow for AFC Wimbledon to secure their first ever Football League home victory. A sunny day in the captial where I occupy myself in the morning before heading to a fascinating game not only in action but tactics. All of this to a virtual sell-out, fully well knowing my money is highly appreciated and appropriately used when received.
It's hard not to get caught up in the hysteria of AFC Wimbledon. It's an organic club which reaches back to the days before the SKY Tv deal in many ways. Whether it's Terry Brown's faith in not overhauling the squad over the Summer or some actual support from the fans ie. encouragement rather than criticism or that the turnstile operator wondered why I developed a sweat on, it just felt right.
Football in this country is culturally a vehicle for socialising and community. Most folks go down the football with their family and friends. It's written within the way how us football fans operate. AFC Wimbledon actively encourage this feel of community without the cheesy schemes or the alienation like this article is performing. The chairmen's article in the programme was a refreshing read; most of the time at other clubs it's welcoming the opposition, talking about unity and various other buzz words to give the impression your club is heading in the right direction. Wimbledon's was more direct though, it communicated the problems the club was having in providing appropriate facilities at the ground and how a Coke bottle without a cap was considering less of a danger than a bottle with a cap. No cloak and dagger here, it just dealt simply with the problems the fans had raised.
Anyways, I could go but this game was humdinger. So I'll avoid the spiel about how was underwelmed by the art within the Tate Modern but please with the quality of female viewing the art, how my train down to St Pancras with full of Rugby fans making mis-informed opinions about Football and my annoyance how a large percentage of underground users seemingly always have a suitcase with them.
I actually missed kick-off by a minute, now if I was being a picky groundhopper that would be it. I have done it on previously visiting London ground, I get too occupied with what I visit in the morning that I normally catch the last possible tube/train out towards the ground. I had eight minutes to leg the 1000 metres from Norbition Station to Kingsmeadow, I was completely knackered by the time I got to the turnstile; it was my first exercise in five weeks and I was already aching from the walking around.
The first thirty minutes was quite possibly the most one-sided start to a game I have ever seen but it stayed goalless and amazingly, AFC Wimbledon had ended the first half 1-0 up. During this time, I had AFC W down as relegation certainties. Vale had them in bits due to a lack of pace in AFC W's back four. Four chances cleared off the line, a post struck from Ben Williamson and a couple of smart saves from Seb Brown in the Wimbledon goal. One of those goal-line clearances looked very much as if it had across the line and another of the clearances was stopped at point blank range by a player's face for which he didn't know a lot about.
Formations at the moment seem to be a buzz subject amongst fans. Mainly down to England's national teams restrictions and how a lot of clubs are beginning to move away from the traditional 4-4-2 into 4-3-3 or variations of this. Now some say formations aren't that important, if the players don't put in the effort you lose regardless. That is correct. However a formation can bring the best of a player ie. Messi at Barcelona or alteratively, a formation can ensure that if you are playing bad that the punishment for it is relatively little.
Now if you think 4-4-2 is traditional, 3-5-2 is a relic but that's what Port Vale were playing. Micky Adams loves a set-piece, 3 at the back means he can put nore six plus footers on. In Rob Taylor on the left, he has a handy skillful player...he can have him in the side in an attacking sense. He can put Louis Dodds in central midfield knowing he has two more typical central midfielders in Antony Griffith and Gary Roberts. It brings the best out of his players and it did for the first thirty minutes. Mainly because AFC Wimbledon's honest 4-3-3 couldn't handle it, the two wingers of Djilali and Luke Moore were far up the pitch and pretty much on the centre backs. AFC W's full-backs had a problem when that full-back faces a Vale wing-back. What's he do? He goes forward that leaves space behind, space exploited by Louis Dodds along the right on numerous occasions in the first thirty minutes.
Brown changed it slightly, it was clear the wingers were instructed for the rest of the half to be less gung-ho and the game began to settle. AFC W's goal was largely down to the reason why 3-5-2 can be a risky formation. On a couple of occasions a AFC W's player emerged from the midfield with a bit of space with just three defenders to run at, with AFC W's playing 3 upfront there was going to be a chance at some point where it was be a man for man situation. That's what occured for the goal, Vale sparse at the back from a set piece suddenly had a 2 on 2 situation. Djilali put through and he's taken out by the goalkeeper, penalty with just a yellow card correct decision. Luke Moore's penalty is saved but Jack Midson however pops in the rebound.
In the second half, Wimbledon changed to a 4-4-2 formation. Christian Jolley came on for Luke Moore. Now this formation could handle the 3-5-2 except it doesn't allow for moments of brilliance. The equaliser came courtesy of a beautifully curved strike from 20 yards out from Louis Dodds. Wimbledon's best part of the game came now. Fine, passing football utlising Jolley's pace and Midson's know-how as showcased in the goal which made it 2-1. Jolley played it into Midson's feet who spotted the overlapping left-back Gareth Gwillim (in behind the wing-back). Gwillim unleashed a rasping half-volley into the right bottom corner of the net.
Vale's plan B was stick as many strikers has possibly on. Andrew Little, a new loan signing from Rangers and the returning Mark Richards came on. The attacks were largely aerial which was suiting Wimbledon's back four. The banks couldn't hold though; a throw-in poorly cleared and Sam Morsy had time to pick his spot into the corner. The game was increasingly stretched and Vale's opportunity for a winner came in the final minute; Richards squaring for Tom Pope with just Seb Brown to beat skied it. Wimbledon were surviving by the skin of their teeth and made the most of the six injury time minutes. Taking advantage of Louis Dodds playing makeshift left-back, the ball switched across the pitch towards Christian Jolley dribbling towards the 18 year box before curving a left-foot shot into the goal.
Appears I have a incredible knack of visiting a ground and the home team getting a last-minute goal. Chesterfield, Yeovil, Dagenham and now AFC Wimbledon have benefitted from my midst touch over the past 18 months. This goal was most welcoming of them all in capping an all-around excellent game and day.
