The Sky Blues take on AFC Wimbledon on Tuesday night, looking to extend their unbeaten run in League One to nine matches. Here’s everything you need to know about our opponents.
Fact File
Name: AFC Wimbledon
Founded: 2002
Stadium: Kingsmeadow (first opened 1989)
Capacity: 4,850
Nickname: The Dons
Address: The Cherry Red Records Stadium, Jack Goodchild Way, 422a Kingston Road, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, KT1 3PB
Pitch Size: 110 x 75 yards
The Opposition
AFC Wimbledon are currently enjoying their fourth season in League One, having achieved promotion to the third tier via the play-offs in 2015/16.
The Dons survived on goal difference last season, after finishing 20th in the table, with a goalless draw against Bradford City on the final day of the season enough to keep them in the division.
The Wombles are yet to win a game this season, with five defeats and three draws from their eight League One fixtures, as well as losing to MK Dons in the Carabao Cup and Brighton & Hove Albion U21’s in the Leasing.com trophy.
Their poor early season form has seen them drop into the relegation zone, but Wimbledon can count themselves slightly unlucky to have lost four league matches by just a single goal.
Manager
Club legend Wally Downes spent almost the entire of his playing career with Wimbledon helping them rise from the fourth division of English football to the first division within the space of a decade.
The 58-year-old is also credited with instilling the ‘Crazy Gang’ spirit at the club, that culminated with Wimbledon winning the F.A. Cup in 1988 with a famous upset victory against Liverpool.
Downes took up his first managerial role at Brentford in June 2002 and would spend one and a half seasons with the club before joining the backroom staff at Reading, Southampton and West Ham United respectively.
He returned to management with Wimbledon in December 2018, with the club six points from safety at the bottom of the League One table.
However, after taking 21 points from their remaining 12 matches, Downes completed a miraculous recovery to keep the club in the division on goal difference.
Last Six Games
Lost – Ipswich Town 2-1 AFC Wimbledon
Lost – Sunderland 3-1 AFC Wimbledon
Drew – AFC Wimbledon 0-0 Wycombe Wanderers
Lost – AFC Wimbledon 0-2 Brighton & Hove Albion U21’s
Lost – Milton Keynes Dons 2-1 AFC Wimbledon
Drew – AFC Wimbledon 1-1 Shrewsbury Town
Last Time We Met
The last meeting with AFC Wimbledon ended in a 1-1 draw back in January of this year.
Jake Jervis opened the scoring after just two minutes when he turned the ball home from close range after a game of pinball broke out in the Sky Blues six-yard box.
The visitors almost doubled their lead when Mitchell Pinnock’s effort from 20 yards out struck the crossbar.
City carved out their first chance of the match when Liam Kelly wandered into the penalty area before seeing his well-struck effort tipped over the crossbar by Aaron Ramsdale.
Some tidy footwork in the box from Bright Enobakhare then set-up Jordy Hiwula for a chance from six yards out only for Ramsdale to once again deny City an equaliser.
The Sky Blues grabbed a deserved leveller just past the hour mark when Conor Thomas’s effort was deflected past Ramsdale into the bottom right corner from Dujon Sterling’s cut-back.
Thomas came close to adding a second goal to his tally but saw his effort from outside the penalty area go wide of the right-hand post.
Tom Bayliss then produced a wonderful bit of skill to set-up Hiwula for a late chance to snatch the points but dragged his effort wide of the mark.
Head-to-Head Record
Sky Blues Wins – 1
Draws – 4
AFC Wimbledon Wins – 0
Club Connections
Tennai Watson
The defender is currently on-loan with the Sky Blues, having signed from Reading in late August and spent the 2018/19 campaign on-loan with the Dons.
He made three appearances for Reading during the 2016/17 season before being loaned to Wimbledon in February 2018.
Watson aided the club’s miraculous run of form to secure their League One status on the final day of the season, making 24 appearances during his spell at Kingsmeadow.
Since arriving at the Sky Blues, Watson has made two appearances, making his debut as a late substitute in the 3-3 draw with Oxford United.
He then started in the Leasing.com trophy win against Walsall, scoring what proved to be the winning penalty in the shootout.
Cody McDonald
McDonald enjoyed short spells with both the Sky Blues and Wimbledon during his career which currently sees him play in the National League with Ebbsfleet United.
The 33-year-old spent much of his early career in non-league football, playing for the likes of Witham Town, Maldon Town and Dartford before joining Championship side Norwich City in February 2009.
He scored four goals in 24 appearances for the Canaries, helping them win the League One title in 2009/10 and was subsequently loaned to League Two side Gillingham where he netted an impressive 25 goals in 41 league outings.
His superb form with the Gills saw him snapped up by the Sky Blues on a permanent deal in August 2011. He managed seven goals in 46 league appearances during his spell with City.
The striker re-joined Gillingham on loan in January 2013 and after an impressive start to life back with the Gills, was recalled by City in February, after a change of management at the club, before departing for Gillingham permanently in the Summer.
McDonald enjoyed a fruitful four-season stay at Priestfield Stadium netting 48 goals in 153 appearances before joining AFC Wimbledon in June 2017. He netted five goals in 32 league games during his single season with the Dons before signing for his current club Ebbsfleet in November 2018.
Match Officials
Trevor Kettle will be the man in the middle on Tuesday night, taking charge of his seventh game of the season.
He has officiated in four League One matches, as well as one League Two clash and a Carabao Cup tie.
Kettle isn’t afraid to produce his cards either, having already brandished 19 yellow cards and three red cards this season.
He last officiated City back in January of this year, taking charge of the Sky Blues 2-1 defeat to Plymouth Argyle at Home Park.
He will be assisted by Kevin Morris and Ravel Cheosiaua with Ian Dudley acting as fourth official.
SkyBet
The Sky Blues are 6/4 on to win tonight. Matty Godden leads the way for first goalscorer at 7/2.
Fancy a flutter? Take a look at the latest SkyBet odds here