‘ FRIENDS’ FIGHT FAN-TASTIC DUEL

  Source: Non-league Paper (no online link)

  FC UNITED of Manchester boss Karl Marginson believes that the game between his side and AFC Wimbledon, two fan- owned clubs, summed up football perfectly as they went head to head with the Wombles coming out on top 2- 0.

Marginson told The NLP: “AFC Wimbledon gave us a lot of help when we were setting up our own football club and that was the start of a great friendship which I am sure will continue for a long time and when we get our stadium built the Dons will not be far from our minds in our first game.”

“It was a fantastic workout for the boys and it was a great accession. It was a tough test but it was a good exercise for us.

“Possibly the heat hindered the lads but I think we need to respect what AFC Wimbledon are doing and I think we did well in stopping Wimbledon scoring in the main part.

“But our jinx of never scoring at Wimbledon goes on.”

At the Cherry Red Record stadium and in front of a packed crowd of 1,292 the hosts should have gone ahead early on.

Chris Arthur was unmarked in the Reds box, but the chance flew wide.

At the other end Ashley Bayes had to spread himself at the feet of Michael Norton to save.

With a minute to go until the break Norton could have put the visitors ahead but his strike flew just wide of the goal.

Norton’s missed opportunity was made to look worse as Wimbledon attacked through Luke Moore and he beat the keeper to put the Dons 1- 0 up just before the break.

In the second half FC United made a raft of new substitutions and sent out what was almost a new team.

Wimbledon also made some changes and substitutes Jack Midson and Harry Pell combined well.

Despite good play from both teams in the second half neither could find a goal.

That all changed in the 67th minute when Harry Pell headed into an open net after Cavell Coo cleared the ball off the line from the original attempt by Pell.

FC United’s best chance of the game arrived in the 90th minute fell to Tom Greaves on 90 minutes but he headed wide.

After the game Dons boss Neil Ardley said he was pleased with his team on how they played despite the heat.

Ardley said: “The pitch is a little long and it needs to be protected. It is a typical pre- season as we looked to be where we were.