Source: Supporters Direct, Issue 23, September 2006Supporters Direct Cup, 22nd July 2006
Matches played in late-July usually have "meaningless pre-season friendly" stamped all over them. Not this one.A year earlier AFC Wimbledon won the Supporters Direct Cup, beating FCUM 1-0 in a match that was extremely tight and competitive considering United had only recently been founded. Both sides came into the match off the back of good seasons. FCUM had been runaway winners of the North West Counties League Division Two and Wimbledon had been edged out of the Ryman League Premier Division playoffs by Fisher Athletic.This was an opportunity to see how both sides had progressed.
On the evidence of the first 45 minutes it was the Dons who had improved most.They withstood a lengthy series of early corners from United and then began to dominate the share of possession and chances. Dons midfielders Luke Garrard and Wes Daly orchestrated play, releasing the livewire front man Paul Barnes on several occasions. It was therefore no surprise that it was Barnes who opened the scoring on 14 minutes, smashing the ball into the United net after Steve Butler's header had rebounded off the bar.
Wimbledon continued to dominate the first half without converting any of their further chances.They then looked a different team in the second half and in many respects they were, having removed goalkeeper Little, captain Steve Butler and playmaker Luke Garrard at the break.
The Dons were duly punished by United who started the second half looking much stronger.They took advantage of the Wimbledon substitutions to bring themselves right back into the match. On 49 minutes a free-kick deep into the Wimbledon half was swung into the box and Brown out jumped everyone to power home a header.
The equaliser brought the FCUM fans to life and they began to give vociferous support to their team as red shirts poured forward looking for a winner.The step up in pace was marked and the tackles began to fly. In fact the match boiled over on 55 minutes when Wimbledon's Scott Curley and Simon Carden of United saw red for "afters" following a late tackle by the United player. Clearly Curly and Carden hadn't quite picked up on the spirit and good humour evident amongst the fans.
On 75 minutes United got their winner. It was the result of a wonderful through-ball, albeit one by Wimbledon new boy Steve Wales.The full back turned the ball back towards the Wimbledon goal and it was intercepted on the edge of the box by Steve Torpey.With only the keeper to beat, he hit a curling shot into the top right corner of the net to give Josh Lennie no chance. By now the United fans were really getting into their stride, turning Gigg Lane into a mini- Stretford End.
Belatedly the Dons roused themselves, finally realising that they were in danger of losing a grip on the Cup.They pressed forward for an equaliser, but while several close chances went begging something seemed to say it was not going to come. Inevitably the pace slowed in the final minutes, the hot weather and lack of match practice getting to players on both sides. In end the FCUM held out for a deserved victory and picked up their first, but maybe not only, piece of silverware of the season.
Fittingly the final highlight of the match had been provided by the fans, with FCUM leading a chant of “We Love You Wombles” and the Dons reciprocating with a chant of “United, United”. In many respects this summed up spirit of the Supporters Direct Cup; two clubs competing hard for a trophy, but doing so in an atmosphere of camaraderie and mutual respect.
This was further underlined by Andy Walsh’s gracious victory speech, thanking the Dons fans and staff for making the long trip and for the assistance and encouragement they had shown at FCUM’s inception.
Following the match large numbers of United and Wimbledon fans retired to the Swan and Cemetery pub to reflect on the match and look forward to the coming season, with both sets of supporters having good reason to be optimistic about their prospects both on and off the pitch.
Teams:
FC Utd: Phil Melville, Matty Taylor,Alex Mortimer, Steven Spencer, Dave Brown, Robert Nugent, Josh Howard, Simon Carden (s/o 55), Stuart Rudd, Steve Torpey, Rory Patterson.
Subs: Liam Coyne, Rhodri Giggs, Dave Swarbrick, Joz Mitten
AFC Wimbledon: Andy Little, Steve Wales, Michael Haswell,Antony Howard, Steve Butler, Wayne Finnie,Wes Daly, Luke Garrard. Paul Barnes, Darren Grieves, Joe Paris
Subs: Scott Curley (s/o 55), Josh Lennie, Robert Ursell, Simon Sobihy, Stephen Goddard
Attendance: 2,136
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