Carling Cup - Crawl Before You Can Run
In the first preliminary round since the 2002/03 season, the newly promoted clubs will battle it out for the right to face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in the first round proper. Should AFC Wimbledon overcome Crawley, the draw will throw up a mouth watering tie with AFC having to revisit the ground they shared with Palace for 12 years, for the first time since the club was re-established under the ownership of their fans in 2002.
AFC s journey into the Football League has been an astonishing feat, with the club s story being a great example of the passion and commitment that exists amongst fans in the lower leagues, something that always comes through in the Carling Cup each season.
Crawley and Wimbledon are certainly not strangers, with both clubs promoted from the conference last year. Along the way, the clubs recorded victories over one another in their respective home ties. With the game being played at Crawley s home ground, The Broadfield, the scales could tip in favour of the West Sussex side, but under the Friday night lights, in front of a predicted sell out crowd, this is set to be the hotly contested first game that the Carling Cup is famed for
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