1 min
AFC Wimbledon came from behind to salvage a 3-3 draw against Bolton Wanderers as Plough Lane opened its doors to competitive football for the first time in 30 years.
Will Nightingale gave the Dons a dream start after 20 minutes when he headed in Anthony Hartigan’s cross only to shoot themselves in the foot no less than 60 seconds later.
Oladapo Afolayan was brought down by Wimbledon keeper Nik Tzanev in the penalty area and Eoin Doyle made no mistake from 12 yards.
That lifeline woke Bolton up and they proceeded to take a stranglehold on the game, stretching their lead four minutes later as Josh Sheehan tapped in Doyle’s cross.
And the visitors appeared to have wrapped up the game early in the second-half when Afolayan tapped in Amadou Bakayoko’s cross.
However, two Wimbledon goals in a minute stung Bolton and completed a remarkable turnaround with 15 minutes of the game remaining.
Aaron Pressley equalised from the spot after Ayoub Assal had been felled before Dapo Mebude’s brilliant run and finish made it a day and game to remember for the Dons faithful.
Key Points
Check out all the key talking points and reaction from London Football Scene below…
Key Moment
It was a big call to substitute Ollie Palmer as he hadn’t had a bad game but Mark Robinson was vindicated as his forward replacements were integral to the turnaround.
Moan of the Match
For what was a historic occasion with Wimbledon’s competitive Plough Lane return – there were clear teething problems with getting a capacity crowd into the ground.
Talking Point
Ayoub Assal played a lot of the game upfront alongside Ollie Palmer but is that the best position to get the most out of him?
Man of the Match
Ayoub Assal – when Wimbledon needed someone to do something special it was Assal’s trickery that proved key.
Tweet of the Match
Referee Watch
Peter Wright (Merseyside) – handled the game well given the vociferous capacity attendance and made all the right decisions – including awarding two penalties.
Atmosphere
It was like a carnival atmosphere with Dons faithful young and old unable to contain their excitement before, during and after the game. A very special occasion to be part of.
Verdict
The Dons maintain their unbeaten start in a six-goal thriller. Better sides may well have thought the game was dead and buried at 3-1 down but Mark Robinson’s charges were spurred on by a capacity crowd.
