View from Kingsmeadow, Volume 45: Off On The Wrong Foot

Terry Brown's AFC Wimbledon started their 2011-12 season in the Football League Two with a tie in the Football League Cup against Steve Evans's Crawley Town at the Broadfield Stadium in Crawley, England.

"We finished our final training session this afternoon, prior to our first competitive game of the season," Brown told the press on Thursday. "The players have now completed fifteen training sessions and depending on the individual player have completed between 250 and 350 minutes of game time. This is at least a game short of where we would normally hope to be prior to our first competitive game of the season."

The Dons manager was apparently not a fan of the preseason scheduling, but extenuating circumstances dating to the postseason meant that Wimbledon had to make do.

"A combination of a late finish with reference to the play offs and a July 29 start has meant we have had to cram our normal six week pre-season into approximately a month," Brown said. "We go into the Crawley game with 18 of our squad of 22 players fit and available. We have Lee Minshull doubtful, James Mulley has still not recovered from a back injury sustained prior to pre-season, Mat Mitchel-King is back in training this week but probably three or four weeks away from a first team debut, while Fraser Franks is making exceptional progress with an expected return in early October."

Brown continued, "The players were told the team today and looked really sharp and enthusiastic for what will be an important opener on Friday night. I don't expect either ourselves or Crawley to be on absolute top form at this stage of the season. However, the importance of the game dictates that there will be plenty to play for. The Carling Cup offers us an opportunity to have seven substitutes on the bench on Friday."

However, the Dons manager emphasized the preparation aspect of the match, rather than the opportunity to face Crystal Palace in the first round.

"Whatever the outcome of Friday's game it should be good preparation for both ourselves and Crawley to start the Football League season the following Saturday," Brown added.

A wide open Friday night of football awaited both sides at Broadfield, with Crawley progressing to the first round after a 3-2 victory over the Dons.

Luke Moore opened the scoring in the 26th minute for Wimbledon. Crawley would go ahead to equalize in the 39th minute thanks to Hope Akpan. Wimbledon regained the lead thanks to Jack Midson via a Christian Jolley delivery in the 46th minute but Crawley would once again equalize thanks to Sergio Torres in the 53rd minute of play.

Matt Tubbs, the leading goalscorer from last year in the Football Conference National, gave Crawley the lead in the 65th minute of play. Wimbledon did get some consolation with Akpan getting sent off in the last minute of stoppage time.

AFC Wimbledon will look to bounce back from a terrible start to the season with the League Two opener against Bristol Rovers. Kickoff at Kingsmeadow is scheduled for Saturday, July 6 at 4:45 a.m. PT/7:45 p.m. ET.