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AFC Wimbledon have secured promotion to League One for the first time since the club reformed in 2002 after beating Plymouth Argyle 2-0 in the League Two play-off final at Wembley.
A historic sixth promotion from just fourteen seasons will see Neal Ardley’s side face arch rivals MK Dons next season; the club the replaced the original Wimbledon in controversial circumstances.
AFC Wimbledon 2-0 Plymouth Argyle
Despite a goalless first half in front of over 50,000 fans at Wembley, Graham Carey’s effort was the closest for the Pilgrims in the second half but the Dons top scorer Lyle Taylor netted his 23rd goal of an incredible season with just over ten minutes remaining,
Despite taking the lead, Ardley’s side pushed for a second, but Argyle keeper Luke McCormack denied Adebayo Akinfenwa from a thumping header.
But deep into stoppage time, Adebayo Azeez was fouled in the box, and Akinfenwa successfully converted from twelve yards to confirm promotion to League One with what could have been his final goal for the club.
It’s been an incredible story from the reformed Dons. From a meeting in The Fox and Grapes pub on Wimbledon common in 2002, they have secured six promotions in just fourteen years, and the prospect of facing MK Dons next season after they suffered relegation from the Championship, it made the promotion all the more sweet.
As for Plymouth, they’ve ended a disappointing campaign with further disappointment. Derek Adams’s side had been in the top three for the majority of the season, but a poor run off towards the end of the season saw the finish in the playoffs, where they also failed last season.
