View from Kingsmeadow, Volume 41: Dons set sail...for Manchester

Terry Brown's AFC Wimbledon were back in action on Wednesday, May 11 to take on Fleetwood Town in the second leg of the 2010-11 Football Conference National promotion playoff semifinals. The Dons had built a 2-0 advantage from their first leg win away at Highbury and looked to build on that for a chance at promotion at the City of Manchester Stadium in Manchester, England.

"After Friday night's good victory and pleasant journey home, you find yourself waking up on a Saturday morning in a state of limbo with five days left to contemplate if two goals is ever enough," Brown told AFCWimbledon.co.uk. "Of course we can look back and think we could have wrapped it up with one or two of the chances that were missed but it must be remembered that Fleetwood came back strongly and could have nicked a goal or two themselves.

"We can only enter the game in a positive manner looking to win the home tie as well as the away one. We have played in this fashion all season and it is a pattern that has served us well this year."

Brown looked at the the performance from last week's match and knew there were some things to work on.

"Having reviewed the DVD there are obvious strengths and weaknesses on both sides," Brown said. "The key to our recent good form has been the tempo and work rate that the players are putting in, not just in games but in recent training sessions. There is a buoyant but not overconfident mood among the players and they are looking to complete the job on Wednesday.

"The three players who received knocks at Fleetwood are responding well to treatment and we are hopeful that we will have our strongest squad to choose from. The depth and strength of our squad has been a vital factor over the last two months and there is possibly more quality on my bench now than I've had at any stage of the season so far."

Fleetwood manager Micky Mellon was defiant before the contest.

“If we get the first goal, then the whole complexion of the tie changes, and it becomes a different game," Mellon told the Fleetwood Weekly News. “We have to be patient and we can’t afford to be gung-ho early on.

“We can decide to throw the kitchen sink at them if and when that time comes.”

The Cod Army wouldn't get that chance. The result was a rout, combined with solid defending. The game wasn't even close, ending in a 6-1 blowout, an a 8-1 demolition on aggregate.

Wimbledon went off to a fast start thanks to Kaid Mohamed 35 seconds into the contest. Danny Kedwell made it 2-0 from a corner in the 28th minute of play. Mohamed would go on to earn his brace in the 35th minute thanks to an assist from Luke Moore.

Fleetwood Town would get one back in the 48th minute thanks to Gareth Seddon, but it would be a minor footnote.

In the 63rd minute, Mohamed completed his hat trick to make it 4-1, Dons. Christian Jolley used a great touch in the 68th minute to make it 5-1, and James Mulley made it 6-1 in the 81st minute.

Up next for AFC Wimbledon will be the season finale: the Football Conference National play-off final with Luton Town, a team the Dons have failed to win against so far this season.

The Dons will hope the third time's the charm.

Kickoff at the City of Manchester Stadium in Manchester, England is scheduled for May 21, 2011 8:00 a.m. ET and will be televised by Premier Sports.