Occasional adversaries during the Dons’ early years as a Football League club, matches with Plymouth have become a regular feature of recent seasons. Here we recall the April 2016 encounter at Home Park that led to an even more important meeting under two months later.
17. Plymouth Argyle
Saturday 9th April 2016: League One
Plymouth Argyle (0) 1 Carey 61
AFC Wimbledon (1) 2 Taylor 30, Akinfenwa 88
They were three points that would give the Dons a psychological advantage. Forced to come from behind after an indifferent first half to the campaign, Neal Ardley's play-off hopes were kept alive by substitute Adebayo Akinfenwa 88th-minute winner at promotion-chasing Plymouth. Having both goals as the Dons beat Wycombe the previous week, Lyle Taylor scored first at Home Park before Graham Carey equalised and ‘The Beast’ (pictured) had the final say.
“We are back in the play-off spots but every time that has happened recently, we have slipped up,” Ardley said afterwards. “I feel we need ten more points to be sure. There are going to be twists and turns and we are overachieving. None of us want the season to fizzle out as we are all enjoying ourselves too much.” After successive victories over Crawley, Dagenham and Orient were followed by defeat at home to Portsmouth, a draw at Stevenage finally secured a top seven finish.
No Wimbledon fan will need reminding that the next time the Dons played Plymouth it was at Wembley. The Pilgrims had narrowly missed out on an automatic promotion place and beat Portsmouth in their play-off semi final but after overcoming Accrington in dramatic style nothing was going to stop Paul Robinson and co at the national stadium. It was Taylor and Akinfenwa who again did the damage and sent AFC Wimbledon into League One for the first time.
AFC Wimbledon: Roos, Fuller, Robinson, Charles, Meades, Francomb, Reeves, Bulman, Barcham (Rigg 84), Elliott (Azeez 72), Taylor (Akinfenwa 72).
Dons v Pilgrims (1979-2019)
Season Comp H A N
1979-80 Div 3 3-1 0-3
1979-80 FL Cup 1-0 0-0
1981-82 Div 3 2-1 0-2
1983-84 Div 3 1-0 2-1
1990-91 FL Cup 0-2 0-1
2011-12 Lge 2 1-2 2-0
2012-13 Lge 2 1-1 2-1
2013-14 Lge 2 1-1 2-1
2014-15 Lge 2 0-0 1-1
2015-16 Lge 2 0-2 2-1
2015-16 JPT 2-3
2015-16 Lge 2 PO 2-0
2016-17 CTT 2-1
2017-18 Lge 1 0-1 2-4
2018-19 Lge1 2-1 0-1
Total W12 D5 L10
This series is written by Stephen Crabtree, the editor of the Historical Don. To sample a copy contact him at stephecrab@aol.com .