Ryan Longman’s display against Wimbledon in the Papa John’s Trophy led to Glyn Hodges bringing him here – and the striker was delighted to make a big impression for the Dons in the same competition.
The 20-year-old, who is on loan from Brighton, scored less than a minute after coming on as a substitute in the 3-0 win versus Arsenal last night. That came 15 months since Ryan played in a 2-0 win for his parent club against Wimbledon, producing a performance that our manager said played a part in him signing for us.
“It was one of my best games when I played against Wimbledon last season, and I’m glad I did play well as I wouldn’t have got the move here! I’m glad that I’m here and making a difference. I think there’s a big difference between League One football and playing for the Under-23s. It has been a great start to the loan for me and I’m really enjoying it here.”
On his instant impact last night and edging a step closer to a Wembley final, Ryan said: “It was just my second touch of the ball, and I’ve put it in the back of the net. The boys were fighting hard out there for the whole game. It was good to come on and make an impact, and for the team to get through to the next round. It’s massive for me, and for the club – I’ve never actually been to Wembley, so it would be great to get there.
“We do bounce back well as a team after a defeat. Everyone was focused back in training and getting prepared for this game. We approached the game in the right way and ended up with a good result. A win is a win, so it will definitely give us a positive mental attitude for the next game.”
The picture above (taken by Matt Redman, Pro Sports Images) shows Ryan scoring less than a minute after coming on last night.
You can watch the interview with Ryan below and in case you haven’t seen them yet the highlights from last night’s game are also below.