AFC WIMBLEDON vs ROCHDALE -- LEAGUE ONE FIXTURE 2017-18 SEASON

Welcome to The Cherry Red Records Fans Stadium (Kingsmeadow) home to the mighty AFC Wimbledon.

This weekend AFC Wimbledon host Rochdale at Kingsmeadow in League One, it's far to early to call games a "must win" but our form is poor, and results matter just ask the ex Palace manager Frank de Boer, so Neal Ardley knows that things need to improve and soon. This will be our sixth HOME League fixture of this season and we've only won one of them so far.

Although we are not conceding that many goals it's the struggle to put the ball in the net the other end that worries me and the lack of shots on target needs to improve quickly. Lyle Taylor is not a winger and it would appear better to play him in his best role down the middle with support provided as necessary. The Dons currently sit in 20th place just above the bottom four relegation zone and three points would be a big lift for both fans and the squad. 

Rochdale arrive here only a couple of points above us in the table in 17th positing so are hardly pulling up trees themselves and a win will certainly help to calm the nerves since having played the first 10 games in the league and to only have 8 points and a -6 goal difference is not great. I don't want the manager to go but things do need to start picking up. Thankfully there appear to be 4 worse teams than us at this stage, but a team that only has 5 goals in it's FOR column can't realistically survive in this competition. Our opponents form also looks fairly patchy and we hope that they don't arrive on one of their going days.   

We shall update on Saturday afternoon before kick off with the confirmed starting XI for both sides and any further news as it comes available.

Line Ups (Confirmed);

  AFC WIMBLEDON 
  Odds -- 19/10 (William Hill) 

 Long (Gk),  Oshilaja,  Kennedy,  Fuller (c),  Nightingale,  Barcham,  Trotter,  Francomb,  McDonald,  Parrett,  Taylor

Subs – McDonnell (Gk),  Robinson,  Abdou,  Forrester,  Kaja,  Charles,  Hartigan

ROCHDALE
Odds -- 6/4 (William Hill) 

 Lillis (Gk),  Daniels,  Bunney,  McGahey,  McNulty (c),  Williams,  Rathbone,  Camps,  Andrew,  Henderson,  Inman

  

Subs – Moore (Gk),  Rafferty,  Ntlhe,  Slew,  Williams,  Done,  Davies


H/T Score – 0 - 0.

First Half Comment;
Rochdale kicked off to get us going in the first half, and it's not a surprise that it starts a bit scrappy. Few corners for the Dons but unable to force a decent effort early on, in fact it is nearly 16 minutes before we see the first shot on target and it's from Andy Barcham is saved and almost immediately Rochdale have a chance from Calvin Andrew saved by Long.

And then it settles down to another bore fest for the rest of the half with only a Yellow Card to Rochdale's Jordan Williams giving us anything of note, apart from a few wasteful shots off target, honestly I can't remember when I was so bored at a senior game and I just hope the second half is more exciting. 

F/T Score – 0 - 0.

Match Summary;
Bore draw and only 3 shots on target in 90 mins is quite frankly piss poor. One of our lowest home gates of the season too [under 4,000] and you know there are other things people would want to do than watch this dire effort. Still struggling to score, ok we don't concede many either but this is so poor. Maybe if we were getting humped 3 or 4 each week things might change quickly, so will someone please tell Mr Ardley to play a forward who can shoot.

My Man of the Match – Lyle Taylor - at least he tries.

Referee -- Our Referee for this fixture will be Christopher Sarginson who hails from Staffordshire and has been taking charge of games in the lower two divisions for a little while now without seemingly getting a reputation good or bad.

Attendance – 3,861.

Next match:
vs OXFORD UNITED (Away) -- Saturday 7th October.