1949
Saturday, 01 October 1949
F.A. Cup - 1Q
Plough Lane
Attendance: 10,600
 
Wimbledon
0 - 0
Kingstonian

Both teams were as selected, the Dons unchanged, as 10,600 spectators packed Plough Lane for the second visit of Kingstonian this season.

It turned out to be a triumph for the goalkeepers as both sides were unable to find the net. Handicapped by facing a bright sun in the first half, the home side soaked up some early pressure before the Kingstonian keeper, Hounslow, punched out a Freddie Gauntlett cross under pressure from Harry Stannard and the keeper then fielded Jack Wallis’ header from the second of two corners. At the other end Jack Haydock had to dive across his goal to save a shot from Whing after good inter-play with Church. Stannard completely missed the ball when Jim Smith centred, but the centre-forward was regularly beating his defender and a goal seemed inevitable. Clean through, he was taken down just outside the box, but the free-kick came to nothing, then he shot hurriedly against a defender. A collision between Haydock and Whing resulted in the K’s forward having to leave the field for attention, which only strengthened the Wimbledon pressure, but the break came with the game goalless.

The Dons continued the good work at the start of the second half, but after Stannard could only poke a tame shot towards goal on the stretch, Kingstonian started mixing long passes with forward rushes and got themselves into the match. The ball swung from end to end as both sides searched for the vital opening goal and the visitors had the best chance when the Ken Lister mis-kicked, his only mistake of the game, and let Whing clean in on goal, be he too mis-kicked and the ball trickled harmlessly to Haydock. Injuries to Woods and Ron Head slowed Wimbledon down but Wallis crashed a shot against the bar and Vic Bird headed the ball back towards the goal, but Hounslow was in position to coolly catch under the bar. The visitors pressed hard towards the end as the Dons tired, but the home goal was charmed and the final whistle resulted in the necessity for a replay the following Saturday.