As we to continue our countdown to the League One season, we today focus on a match that was critical in maintaining our status in the third tier of English football.
16. Peterborough United
Recent matches with Peterborough have been tight affairs, none more than the game we remember today that helped turn a season around.
Tuesday 12th March 2019: League One
AFC Wimbledon (0) 1 Pigott 87
Peterborough United (00 0
Suddenly the impossible seemed possible. Regarded as certainties for relegation just a month earlier, the Dons’ fourth win in six games raised hopes that they could avoid the drop. Wally Downes side’s second successive home victory over a team in contention for the play offs left Wimbledon just four points from safety and lifted the mood around Kingsmeadow even if the circumstances were somewhat fortuitous.
Rock-bottom Wimbledon found themselves on the back foot for most of the match and if the visitors finishing had matched their approach play they would have been two or three goals ahead by half time. But the scores were still level with three minutes to go when Rhys Bennett’s seemingly innocuous tackle on Dylan Connelly earned the Posh defender a straight red card and allowed Joe Pigott to step up and fire home his 12th goal of the season to seal a vital win for the hosts.
“We have been beaten by a terrible penalty decision,” Posh boss Darren Ferguson said afterwards. “Rhys has done nothing wrong. Their player has leaned into him and fallen over and the referee has given a decision from the halfway line. You have to be certain about decisions like that and I don’t see how he could have been from that far away.” Lucky or not, by losing just once in their final nine games Wimbledon completed their Great Escape.
AFC Wimbledon: Ramsdale, Nightingale, Thomas, Wagstaff (Hanson 65), Hartigan (McLoughlin 80), Seddon, Sibbick, Kalambayi, Pigott, Wordsworth, Folivi (Connolly 65).
The picture below shows Aaron Ramsdale celebrating his clean sheet against Posh.
Dons v Peterborough (1970-2019)
|
Season |
Comp |
H |
A |
|
1970-71 |
FACup 1 |
1-3 |
|
|
1980-81 |
Div 4 |
2-1 |
1-1 |
|
1981-82 |
Grp Cup |
1-0 |
|
|
1982-83 |
Div 4 |
2-1 |
3-0 |
|
1991-92 |
FLC 2 |
1-2 |
2-2 |
|
2016-17 |
Lge 1 |
0-0 |
1-0 |
|
2016-17 |
FLC 1 |
|
2-3 |
|
2017-18 |
Lge 1 |
2-2 |
1-1 |
|
2018-19 |
Lge 1 |
1-0 |
0-1 |
|
2019-20 |
Lge1 |
1-0 |
2-3 |
|
Total W7 D5 L5 |
|||
This series is written by Stephen Crabtree, the editor of the Historical Don. To sample a copy contact him at stephecrab@aol.com .