AFC Wimbledon and Ramsgate square off on Monday evening with both teams looking to earn an appearance in the FA Cup third round.

At a time when the home side sit in 10th position in the League Two standings, Ramsgate are top of the Isthmian South East Division table, the eighth tier of English football.

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Having only narrowly avoid relegation to the National League in 2022-23, AFC Wimbledon may have had their concerns regarding this campaign, yet they have enjoyed a much more stress-free season under Johnnie Jackson.

A total of 28 points have been collected from 19 matches, leaving the club in 10th with a game in hand on many of the teams above them, but they are as many as eight points behind sixth position.

Three defeats have been posted in five games, their wins during that period coming against Doncaster Rovers and Notts County to make it just three wins in nine at the Cherry Red Records Stadium.

To reach the second round of this competition, AFC Wimbledon recorded one of the standout results of the previous stage, beating League One outfit Cheltenham Town by a 5-1 scoreline.

Since their run to the fifth round in 2018-19, the Dons have progressed through to round three just once in four attempts, and they will be motivated to avoid any slip-ups against the lowest-ranked team remaining in the competition.

No-one associated with Ramsgate could have foreseen their run from the preliminary rounds to just one win away from potentially facing Premier League opposition.

They have played seven games since commencing their campaign on August 19 and have only being taken to a replay on one occasion, which came in the the second qualifying round against Cray Wanderers.

In the previous round, Ben Smith's team came from behind to see off the challenge of National League outfit Woking by a 2-1 scoreline.

Ramsgate sit at the top of their league by just the one point, possessing two matches in hand on second spot, and although promotion will remain their priority for the season, this game is what non-league players dream of, and a cup upset cannot be ruled out.

Team News

Jackson has acknowledged that he was pleased with the majority of AFC Wimbledon's performance against Gillingham in their last league game and his starting lineup should be similar to that one.

If an alteration is made, it may see Josh Neufville recalled on the right flank ahead of James Tilley, with the rest of the team staying the same given the rewards that on offer.

While Smith will take a similar approach with his Ramsgate side, Bode Anidugbe and Alfie Young were both introduced as half-time substitutes against Cray Valley PM - who pushed Charlton Athletic over two games - last time out and will be considered for opportunities.

Ramsgate battled back to earn a 1-1 draw on that occasion, even though Joe Taylor - who has netted nine times in the FA Cup this season - failed to get on the scoresheet.

AFC Wimbledon possible starting lineup:
Bass; Ogundere, Lewis, Johnson, Currie; Tilley, Reeves, Little, Lemonheigh-Evans; Hamadi, Bugiel

Ramsgate possible starting lineup:
Hadler; Parter, Ellul, Stone, J. Paxman, Martin, West, Green, Elito, A. Paxman, Taylor

We say: AFC Wimbledon 3-0 Ramsgate

While Ramsgate have had a memorable run to this stage of the competition and will be motivated to cause a surprise in front of the television cameras, we can only predict a one-sided fixture on Monday, convinced by the home side losing just five of their 19 games in League Two this campaign.


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