View from Kingsmeadow, Volume 36: 1 More Go Against Cambridge

As the reserves wrapped up the Suburban Football League title with an emphatic 8-2 drubbing of Uxbridge, the first team of Terry Brown's AFC Wimbledon continued their April push, hoping to punch their ticket to the Football Conference National promotion playoffs when they hit the road to face Cambridge United.

"The results went very well for us again in midweek and we go to Cambridge full of confidence and looking to cement our place in the playoffs," Brown told AFCWimbledon.co.uk.

"Having loaned Ricky Wellard to Cambridge and having watched them myself a couple of times, they possess good individual players and Jez George has done a great job getting this young side to blend well. Jez is an advocate of getting the ball down to play and on a good surface we should be in for a fast-moving, flowing game."

Most of the players that were fit looked to be a go, according to Brown.

"Training this week has gone well and the only likely casualty for Saturday will be Christian Jolley," Brown said. "Christian has suffered a similar injury to Brett Johnson and we are hoping that we will have as much success with Christian's injection as we did with Brett's. Christian will receive his second injection on Monday and we are hopeful he will be fit and available for the Histon game next Saturday.

"This will also be the last Saturday without the services of James Mulley and I am pleased to say that we are looking forward to the luxury of a large, fit squad going into the playoffs.

"There is also good news about Sammy Moore who is making excellent progress and it is beginning to look as though he will be ready for preseason, but sometimes it is too easy to come back too soon, so Mike Rayner is encouraging Sammy to take it carefully and build up to full fitness slowly. We are also pleased with the progress Fraser Franks is making but he will definitely not be back until September or October."

Wimbledon's Ricky Wellard, a former Cambridge United swingman, has fond memories of playing with the U.

"I enjoyed my time with Cambridge—they are a good club," Wellard said, who played for Cambridge via loan. "I didn't know anyone when I first went there on loan but they quickly made me feel at home and I settled in really quickly.

"I think we will enjoy playing there—the pitch is a bit bigger than ours, which will suit our style of play. Cambridge mix it up a bit more than us and are a bit more direct, but they also play good football, so it will be a tough game because both teams need the points."

Wimbledon jumped off to an early 2-0 lead off of goals by Brett Johnson in the 11th minute and Kaid Mohamed in the 34th minute. The Dons hung on for a 2-1 victory, inching closer to a spot in the playoffs.

Next Saturday, AFC Wimbledon hits the road again to take on Histon. Kickoff is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. ET on Saturday, April 16.