View from Kingsmeadow, Volume 49: A Royal Smackdown by Macclesfield Town

Terry Brown's AFC Wimbledon saw the wheels come off slightly after their 1-1 draw with Hereford United and were keen on getting back on their feet when they traveled to Moss Rose in Macclesfield to take on Gary Simpson's Macclesfield Town.

The Dons came into the match in seventh in the Football League Two with a record of 2-1-1 (seven points), three points behind league leaders Crawley Town, Rotherham United, and Gillingham.

"Macclesfield play a very direct attacking brand of football, and their side includes several very talented players," Brown told reporters on Thursday. "We will need to show the same resolve and enthusiasm as we did against Dagenham if we are to take anything away from Moss Rose.

"As with the game at Plymouth, we will be traveling up the day before the game, and let's hope we can continue our great away form."

A new player to join AFC Wimbledon is 20-year old Kieran Djilali, a 5'10" midfielder/winger who last played for Crystal Palace and was loaned out to Crawley and Chesterfield for brief stints. He will be available for action next week, when the Dons take on Port Vale Kingsmeadow.

Last season, Macclesfield Town finished 15th in League Two with a record of 14-13-19 (55 points). The Silkmen were coming off a 2-1 defeat away to Bolton Wanderers in the second round of the Football League Cup. Emile Sinclair, Macclesfield's top scorer with three in League Two play, scored the lone goal 11 minutes into the contest.

The Silkmen were keen to bounce back from tough defeat to a Premier League side, and they did it in a big way with a 4-0 victory over a Dons outfit that played a full 90 minutes of decrepit Sunday League football.

Three minutes into the contest, Macclesfield opened the scoring thanks to Shaun Brisley. French international Tony Diagne doubled the advantage in the 25th minute.

In the 49th minute, Sinclair added more salt to the wounds off a delivery from Diagne. Arnaud Mendy capped off the scoring in the 89th minute of play.

A now-wounded Wimbledon side slink back to the semi-friendly confines of Kingsmeadow, where they have yet to secure a result this early in the season. Can a victory over Port Vale provide the solution?

Kickoff between the Dons and Port Vale is scheduled for Saturday, September 3 at 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET.