AFC Wimbledon continue fairytale rise up football pyramid with victory in League Two play-off final, paving way for third-tier clashes with MK Dons next season
Delirious AFC Wimbledon boss Neal Ardley revelled in his side’s promotion as their fairytale rise up the football pyramid continued with victory over Plymouth Argyle in the League Two play-off final at Wembley.
Leading scorer Lyle Taylor notched his 23rd goal of the season before robust frontman Adebayo Akinfenwa, who revealed post-match he is to be released by the club, sealed victory with a penalty in the 11th minute of injury time.
Formed 14 years ago to the day, the Dons enjoyed a birthday party to remember, securing their sixth promotion since their incarnation, which was borne out of the old Wimbledon FC controversially relocating to Milton Keynes.
Promotion to English football’s third tier is further evidence of the progress made by a club which held open trials on Wimbledon Common following a meeting by supporters at the Fox and Grapes pub in 2002.
“It’s immense, it’s what you dream of. It’s surreal and it hasn’t really sunk in,” said former Wimbledon player Ardley.
“To stand there in front of 20 to 25,000 people, who 14 years ago had their club ripped away from them, to be there in front of them, as one of their own, having joined at the age of 11, you can write whatever you like.”
Promotion also means that AFC Wimbledon, who began their existence in the Combined Counties League, will play at the same level of football as MK Dons, the team created when the old Wimbledon was controversially relocated.
“It was inevitable that if we continued being successful our paths would cross in league games,” added Ardley. “There will be an edge to the MK Dons games, but they are just two games towards our points tally.”
AFC Wimbledon opened the scoring in the 78th minute as Taylor converted a Callum Kennedy cross, before Akinfenwa converted a last-gasp spot-kick following a foul on forward Adebayo Azeez.