A memorable half dozen for all Dons fans
Sammy Moore’s time at AFC Wimbledon has featured plenty of goals and glory so it was therefore a tough choice to select his best moments at the club.
However, the Dons midfielder, who signed a new contract yesterday to prolong his four-year stay with the club, chose six of the best, including a match that he didn’t even play in.
Ebbsfleet United 2-3 AFC Wimbledon (18 November, 2010)
Sammy showed his eye for goal early in his Dons career and his intervention snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in this FA Cup first round replay at Stonebridge Road. The Dons were heading out in front of the live TV cameras as they were 2-1 down in the fourth minute of injury time, but Sammy struck to send the match into extra-time. And with penalties beckoning, Sammy repeated the trick by striking a dramatic last-gasp winner in extra-time. Sammy said: “I don’t think you could write that script and it’s definitely still one of my best moments at the club.”
AFC Wimbledon 0-0 Luton Town (Dons win 4-3 on penalties) 21 May, 2011
Though he didn’t play in the match after suffering a knee injury in the latter stages of that season, the magic of Manchester was still the first match that Sammy mentioned when the official website caught up with him today.
“It was difficult for me because I had played for a lot of that season, but I missed the final,” Sammy said. “I would not change that day for the world though. So many of our fans travelled up to the stadium to support the lads and it was a great atmosphere. No club will ever repeat what Wimbledon did by getting to the league in nine years after starting again. It was an unbelievable welcome that we got from the fans when we came back on the bus the next day – it was like being at a Premier League club.”
Gillingham 3-4 AFC Wimbledon (21 January, 2012)
A famous victory in Kent for Terry Brown’s men as they came from 3-1 down with 17 minutes left to win 4-3. A Garry Richards own goal and a Jack Midson double had the travelling Dons fans jumping for joy at Priestfield Stadium and it was a victory that had special significance for Sammy, who was raised in Deal, Kent. “I had quite a few friends playing for Gillingham and Andy Hessenthaler was in charge, who was my manager at Dover,” said Sammy. “It’s always nice to put one over on one of your local sides in Kent.”
Crewe Alexandra 3-3 AFC Wimbledon (25 February, 2012)
The Railwaymen would end the season with play-off glory and they threatened to hand out a hammering to the Dons along the way. Only a Seb Brown penalty save stopped Crewe making it 4-1, but a superb 25-yard strike from Sammy edged Wimbledon back into it and Christian Jolley headed home late on to earn an unlikely point.
“We had to show plenty of character after being 3-1 down, but I remember getting a good goal to get us back into it and we went on to complete the fightback,” said Sammy.
Wycombe Wanderers 0-1 AFC Wimbledon (22 September, 2012)
A superb volley from Sammy gave the Dons a victory they so desperately needed after Terry Brown’s departure. Simon Bassey had been appointed as caretaker manager and Sammy was delighted to provide ‘Mr Wimbledon’ with a victory to savour. It also came with Terry watching from the stands just three days after he parted company with Wimbledon.
“It was a difficult day because Terry and Stuart Cash had done so much for me,” said Sammy. “They had brought me to the club and had really looked after me. But I wanted to do so well for ‘Bass’. He had been with the club for so long and it was great to score the goal that gave him a victory in his first match in charge.”
AFC Wimbledon 4-0 Portsmouth (16 November, 2013)
A score that would have seemed impossible five years earlier when Pompey were FA Cup holders as a Premier League club and Wimbledon were in the Conference South. But there was no fluke about this victory as an Andy Frampton double and goals from Sammy and Michael Smith did it in style. Sammy, who struck a superb volley in the match, said: “It was a great game to play in with a great atmosphere created by both sets of fans. To get such a convincing win against Portsmouth made it a great day.”