Dons aim to get back on track
Charlie Strutton will be handed a chance by manager Terry Brown to stake his claim tonight against the club that he enjoyed a loan spell with last season.
Terry Brown has confirmed that Charlie will start up front at York Road, where he scored last season in an impressive win for Maidenhead against Blue Square South Champions Woking. Centre-back Steven Old will also be given another opportunity after featuring against Reading on Saturday, but Terry says that tonight's game will come too soon for Pim Balkestein to be pitched straight in at the back. Our signing of Pim means that defenders Aaron Downes and Alex Keddie have now left the club and manager Terry Brown wishes to thank both of them for their efforts during trial spells.
"Both boys did exceptionally well and I would definitely have signed one out of the two of them," he said. "However, the opportunity came up to sign Pim, so things changed. I wish them both well and I am sure that they will find clubs elsewhere. Pim provides good balance for us alongside Mat Mitchel-King and we have Callum McNaughton still to come back, but I still need another centre-back."
After Saturday's heavy defeat at the hands of Reading, Wimbledon will face a completely different kind of test against a Blue Square South side intent on causing an upset. The Dons boss believes it is just what his men need at this stage of pre-season.
"Saturday was a great run-out for us and though it was painful to watch, it is all about us getting ready for Stevenage and Chesterfield," Terry said. "I am not going to spend any more time dwelling on the Reading match. Some of the goals we conceded were horrendous, but we went through it all in training on Monday. Now we go into four games that are winnable and I want good performances from the players. I have lots of respect for their manager (Johnson Hippolyte) as I have known him for years. He has done great jobs at Yeading and Maidenhead on limited budgets. It will be a difficult game for us, but it will be just what we need."
Australian goalkeeper Ben McNamara, who has been on trial with Wimbledon recently, has been allowed to leave and the club wishes him well for the future.
Admission prices for tonight's match (7.30pm start) will be £8 for adults, £4 concessions, and U18s will be allowed in free of charge.