Every fan dreams of a run in the FA Cup. Taking on the ‘big boys’. Causing an upset. It’s what makes the competition magic.
Of course, we experienced the highest high of all in 1988 when the Crazy Gang of Wimbledon defeated the Culture Club of Liverpool to make football history, which has long been seen since as the ultimate cup upset of its kind.
Since then, we’ve rarely made it as close to tasting Wembley glory again in the famous competition, with an appearance in the semi-finals of 1996/97 being the furthest we have progressed.
The AFC Wimbledon era has since relit the FA Cup fire within our bellies, with the season of 2018/19 going down as one of the most memorable and dramatic in recent memory.
Here we take a look back at a cup run that included avoiding an upset at Haringey and Halifax, beating Fleetwood at the death and that incredible night when we saw off Premier League West Ham United against all the odds.
Watch every goal from the run down below!
First Round – 9 November 2018 – Haringey Borough 0-1 AFC Wimbledon
The TV cameras were in place for a potential upset at Coles Park as Isthmian League Premier Division Haringey hosted the Dons in what was the former’s first appearance in the opening round of the competition.
It proved to be a tough and sketchy night all round for Wimbledon, with terrible weather conditions combined with a plastic pitch diminishing the quality of a match that was eventually settled by Mitch Pinnock’s deflected strike in the final minute of normal time.
The game proved to be Neal Ardley’s final match in charge of the Club, departing after six years at the helm.
Second Round – 1 December 2018 – Halifax Town 1-3 AFC Wimbledon
This was another banana skin for Wimbledon to negotiate, this time taking to the field with Simon Bassey as Interim Manager.
Ben Purrington’s pinpoint strike – his only goal in Dons colours – put us ahead just before the break before an Anthony Wordsworth curler and Joe Pigott's finish sent us well on our way to the promised land of the third round draw.
Wally Downes returned to the Club as manager just three days later as he sought to secure our League One status.
Third Round – 5 January 2019 – Fleetwood Town 2-3 AFC Wimbledon
We may not have bagged a plum tie in the draw but the opportunity to take on Fleetwood offered a genuine chance of progressing even further.
A lovely piece of skill from Andy Barcham saw us take a 16th minute lead before Anthony Hartigan side-footed home to give us a two-goal cushion in the 55th.
Fleetwood came roaring back, netting twice in two minutes, to set-up a grandstand finish. Luckily for the Dons, Kwesi Appiah was on hand to steal the headlines as he drilled home from the edge of the area with a last-gasp strike that sent the away end potty!
The cup tie was also a certain Aaron Ramsdale’s first game for the Club, having joined on loan from Premier League AFC Bournemouth.
Fourth Round – 26 January 2019 – AFC Wimbledon 4-2 West Ham United
The night that capped off the cup run. A sell-out crowd packed into Kingsmeadow for a London derby under the lights. The stage was well and truly set.
Appiah was at it again to open the scoring against the Premier League side as he saw his strike deflect in. Then came Scott Wagstaff’s first big moment of a memorable night, running half the length of the field to bury the ball past the Hammers’ keeper - and put Wimbledon 2-0 up at the break.
Wagstaff had his second after only one second-half minute, flicking home an Appiah cross, to send Kingsmeadow into overdrive at 3-0. West Ham did mount a comeback, as goals from Lucas Pérez and Felipe Anderson heightened the tension.
Those of a yellow and blue persuasion needn’t have worried though as Wordsworth sent a dinked cross to the back post for Academy graduate Toby Sibbick to head home for 4-2, sealing the win – and the upset - in style.
The Dons would ultimately exit the competition at the fifth round stage to Millwall (1-0), but many will look back on the cup run with fond memories as we look to create more history this season.
PICS: Pro Sports Images