MX23RW : Thursday, January 10 23:07:54
Jan 5, 2019 at 3pm UK at ​Highbury Stadium
Attendance: 2,131
Fleetwood Town
2-3
AFC Wimbledon
Madden (70'), Evans (72' pen.)
FT(HT: 0-1)
Barcham (16'), Hartigan (55'), Appiah (90')

Downes keen to make more FA Cup history after AFC Wimbledon reach fourth round

Downes keen to make more FA Cup history after AFC Wimbledon reach fourth round
© Reuters
The old Wimbledon beat Liverpool 1-0 in the 1988 final to lift the famous trophy.

AFC Wimbledon reached the fourth round of the FA Cup for the first time since their reformation when they beat Fleetwood 3-2 and boss Wally Downes sees no reason why they cannot make more history.

The old Wimbledon beat Liverpool 1-0 in the 1988 final to lift the famous trophy.

AFC Wimbledon, formed in 2002, had never been past the third-round stage before Kwesi Appiah's late winner secured their progress at Highbury on Saturday.

Andy Barcham opened the scoring in the first half, with Anthony Hartigan making it 2-0 to the Dons 10 minutes after the break.

But Paddy Madden's 70th-minute effort and Ched Evans' penalty levelled things up.

Appiah had the last word in the 90th minute and Downes was happy to keep their cup hopes alive.

He said: "There is a tradition with it.

"It is probably the biggest giant killing of all time when they did it.

"I think the country holds Wimbledon in high esteem with the FA Cup as much as the club does.

"There is a connection there and long may it continue."

When asked if he wants to make more history, he added: "It is only five games away now... Why are you laughing?"

Downes' side sit bottom of the League One table, 12 places below Joey Barton's Fleetwood.

And the 57-year-old said the way the Dons won the game has left his side bubbling with joy.

He said: "The boys are bubbling about it.

"You cannot beat a 90th-minute winner, even though it took us to stand off the last four minutes and not concede again when the FA Cup would normally dictate that it would happen.

"I could easily have seen it being 3-3.

"It was a terrific performance. A great result."

Barton had to watch from the stands as he served the first of his two-game touchline ban after an FA misconduct charge.

And the Town boss was disappointed to get knocked out of the cup.

He said: "Absolutely devastated because I love the FA Cup.

"It is massive for clubs like us.

"But credit to Wimbledon – they hung in there, defended the box when they had to and hit us on the counter attack.

"I've got no dough now because we are out of the FA Cup!

"I am back to free transfers.

"I thought I might get my first little bit of transfer fee spent but I am back in the loan market and the bargain bucket again for this window.

"The FA Cup is big for us and Wimbledon.

"Hopefully they will get a big tie in the next round and make a few quid because it is the lifeblood of clubs like us and Wimbledon.

"It can make or break the season.

"Gutted because I would have liked that little bit of money to invest in the side but I'm really pleased with the character of the lads.

"We went 2-0 down but they never stopped scrapping, fighting.

"I'm really frustrated that they gave that goal away but they gave everything for me and that is all I can ask for."


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Wally Downes at West Ham in November 2012
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Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Portsmouth26176346242257
2Luton TownLuton26157449242552
3Sunderland261410247252252
4Charlton AthleticCharlton27145843311247
5Barnsley25137540221846
6Doncaster RoversDoncaster26136747321545
7Peterborough UnitedPeterborough26128645331244
8Coventry CityCoventry27115112931-238
9Burton Albion26105113433135
10Southend UnitedSouthend26112133231135
11Blackpool259882625135
12Accrington StanleyAccrington269892836-835
13Fleetwood Town2697103530534
14Wycombe WanderersWycombe2688103438-432
15Walsall2688102841-1332
16Shrewsbury TownShrewsbury2679102932-330
17Scunthorpe UnitedScunthorpe2786133452-1830
18Rochdale2786133356-2330
19Gillingham2684143643-728
20Bristol Rovers2676132529-427
21Bradford CityBradford2683153140-927
22Oxford UnitedOxford Utd2668123141-1026
23Plymouth ArgylePlymouth2666143147-1624
24AFC Wimbledon2664162037-1722

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