View from Kingsmeadow, Volume Seven: Homecooking the Red Devils

Licking their wounds from a 3-0 shutout defeat to Luton Town in Football Conference National play, Terry Brown's AFC Wimbledon staggered back to Kingsmeadow hoping for a better effort as they hosted the Red Devils of Steve Evans's Crawley Town FC on Thursday.

Crawley was on top of the table heading into the big contest.

Over the week, 18-year old left back Chris Bush was acquired on loan from the Bees of Brentford FC to fill the void left by the suspended Andre Blackman.

"I've watched him a couple of times and so we were already aware of what he can do," Brown said on the signing. "Chris is 6' 2" tall and strong, good in the air and with good touch and pace. He is also very level headed and while some players might be daunted by being pitched straight into a game against the league leaders, I am sure he will acquit himself well tomorrow."

Training for the Dons went relatively well for the squad, but there will be a few key players that will be missing for the Wombles, according to Brown.

"Today's training went very well, with new addition Chris Bush slotting in for the suspended Andre Blackman," Brown said. "We have one or two injury doubts for tomorrow night's game and they will have fitness tests prior to the game. Definitely out of contention will be Brett Johnson, Lee Minshull and Luke Moore.

"Brett's medial ligament injury has responded very well and we are hopeful he will be fit and available for selection for the Cambridge game next week. The results of Lee Minshull's scan have shown a serious medial ligament injury which will take up to eight weeks recovery time. Although this is desperately disappointing news for Lee we are, however, grateful that it appears that the preventative work Mike has undertaken has stopped it from being much worse, as we feared at first.

"Luke's ankle ligament injury, sustained in his comeback reserve game, has seen the bruising come out fully this week and we are hopeful that he should start full training next week. And, of course, Andre Blackman is suspended from this game.

"With a very hectic schedule already upon us, I expect we will need to draw extensively upon what is now a 22-strong squad. The players are looking forward to bouncing back after Friday night's defeat and what better way of motivating ourselves than trying to displace top-of-the-table Crawley.

"Having read Saturday's match report, Crawley play open and attacking football and we should therefore be treated to a fantastic game of football."

The match was televised by Premier Sports in front of a standing-room only crowd at the Cherry Red Records Stadium.

After being down 1-0 in the first half in the 43rd minute on a Crawley goal from Matt Tubbs, two goals in three minutes in the second half saw AFC Wimbledon silence Crawley 2-1. San Hatton equalized in the 77th minute, while ace scorer Danny Kedwell brought home the game winner in the 79th minute.

Up next for Wimbledon is a trip to Aggborough and a date with the Kidderminster Harriers. Kickoff is scheduled for Sunday, September 26 at 10:00 a.m. ET. The Dons will then return home to take on the U's; that is, Cambridge United FC. Kickoff is scheduled ffor Wednesday, September 29 at 2:45 p.m. ET.