We've been threatening it for a while and hinting at some kind of extreme potential, but on a wet and freezing Saturday in December, AFC Wimbledon kicked the front door into the door marked "Playoffs" and shouted "WHO F*#***G WANTS SOME?!"
It was all very well playing really well and smashing Ramsgate. It was even something different to capitalize on some kamikazi defending against Notts County. But to completely dismantle a team of such obvious quality as Swindon, to utterly dominate them from minute one was a statement performance in neon sign capital letters. Ive been saying for a little while now that we are a belief pill away from being a REALLY good side at the level, surely after this the gag reflex is surpressed and we can push on. This is a very good team we are watching, managed by a man who is visibly improving, right on the top of his game (get the contract sorted). I called "Top five AT LEAST" a couple of weeks back, I'm sticking with it.
Our utter control began very early in the game, Ali denied an obvious penalty in the first few moments by a predictably poor ref. VAR would have given that but we don't have it (Thank God). To be fair the dreaded Stockley Park would probably have disallowed our opener seconds later too. Two players lay stricken in the box but the ref "evened up" his earlier error to allow Omar to celebrate in front of their fans. It came from a nifty little Joe Lewis assist, the big man was magnificent from minute one. Our other big man Ryan Johnson had blood spurting out of his head. He didn't care overly though, we just bunged a big slop of Polyfilla on it and he was good to go. He's like that is Ryan Johnson, my kind of centre half and we are very lucky to have him.
From there we set about them and really should have been further ahead even before Connor Lemonheigh-Evans struck a post. We were outnumbered in midfield but it mattered not a jot. It's not the size of the dog in the fight, nor in this case the number of dogs in the fight, it is and always has been the size of the fight in the dog. Jake Reeves schemed as he does, but our chief ratter Armani Little was absolutely fantastic at doing what HE does. He left a straightener on the dangerous Jake Young from which the top scorer in the league never recovered, then bristled with intent and aggression all game, kicking everything which moved. He was THE dominant force in the match, I've never seen him play better.
Our defence kept the much vaunted Young and Kemp utterly quiet save for a few yelps when we smashed them, while our two wide men pinned their 3-5-1-1 firmly into a 5-3-2. Josh Scorched the earth while Connor Lemonheigh-Evans schemed and probed and leapt like a salmon. What a header of a football this lad is by the way.
Up top Omar was Omar, Ali thank God was Ali. Fittingly Armani Little smashed in the goal of the game with an absolute screamer. Ali bagged another brace and terrorised the Swindon back line. He is ridiculous at this level, just miles ahead of everyone else. Being the bandwagon jumping glory hunter that I am, it will surprise few that our performance against Swindon was comfortably the best I've ever seen AFC Wimbledon play.
Long before the end their players had chucked the towel in, even their excellent support had exited stage left. Mick Flynn was the latest manager to say "In truth it could have been more than four". Like the Notts County manager, he wasn't lying either. My guess is that before the seasons end, many more will be saying it too. Utterly superb stuff 👏
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