AFC Wimbledon 0 Stevenage 2
Could Stevenage fans ever imagine, even in their wildest dreams, they would have a player on their books that has Premier League experience and scored a European goal against German giants Bayern Munich? Step forward Josh Walker, ex-Middlesbrough central midfielder, whose exploits in the UEFA Cup on loan at Aberdeen couldn’t earn him a place at the highest level. He has even found first team opportunities difficult to come by at Watford and so on Thursday night Graham Westley signed him for the League Two outfit on loan.
What a way to introduce and endear yourself to the fans of a club living the Football League dream for the first time. With only a day’s training alongside his new teammates, Walker’s twenty-fourth minute free kick, coupled with substitute Yemi Odubade’s scuffed strike in the closing stages, have sent Stevenage into the promised land of the third round of the FA Cup where one of the heavyweights of English football may well be paired with them. For me the magic of the world’s oldest knockout football competition is conjured by and during that weekend in early January when Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool, et al, all enter. Sure, in recent times we have seen some of the mighty that have fallen in the first couple of rounds, but the beautiful game on a cold winter’s afternoon really does burst to life with this set of the Christmas/New Year fixture list.
In every respect this afternoon’s match at Kingsmeadow was the quintessential cup tie. Passion on the park, tackles flying in and a high tempo. The minnows at home, sizing up the kind of opposition Wimbledon are on course to meet next season, as this incarnation of the Dons seeks to make it into the Football League and emulate Stevenage. The champions elect of the Conference are admittedly ahead of schedule, but with four promotions in seven seasons momentum is with them. It will be scant consolation to New Tricks star Alun Armstrong and other avid Wimbledon fans in the short term going out of the FA Cup this afternoon, but it many ways this could be a blessing in disguise.
Today’s game live on terrestrial TV was their moment in the spotlight and with the January Transfer Window very much on the horizon, with all the panic buying that entails it could well have been an opportunity for Terry Brown’s lads to play themselves into a move to a higher level. Danny Kedwell may have failed to make the grade at Gillingham, but any armchair fans that have sat in front of Soccer Saturday or Score will have seen his name pop up on the videprinter incessantly over the last couple of years. Although he did not find the net today, he dragged both centre halves out of position and turned them when he did get some service and with a better touch he would have got at least a consolation for Wimbledon.
In the summer when Barnet somewhat foolishly parted company with the services of Ismail Yakubu, I wondered if he might find a bigger Football League club to ply his trade with. As it was he ended up signing for the Dons. He has always been a player that has been good at what he does; provide an aerial presence at the back, naturally a danger from set pieces at the other end and deals fairly well with the opposition if they employ long ball tactics. Otherwise he is a no nonsense centre half. What Yakubu has never been able to do is be comfortable in possession or when he is dragged out of position. The latter is exactly the tactic that Stevenage used to unnerve him. On top of that Chris Beardsley held the ball up superbly despite lining up against him. The visiting striker arguably played the target man role better than Kedwell did for the home side.
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