AFC Wimbledon vs Bromley preview

The games don’t get easier for Bromley as they travel to in-form Wimbledon, a side that hasn’t lost in 2025 and are unbeaten in 12 games, during which they have only conceded four goals.

Like Bradford, the Wombles have a defensive record to envy. In fact, they have the best defensive record in the league; with the fewest goals conceded per match and the most clean sheets. In addition, they are the third-best side at retrieving possession in the final third.

Wimbledon are one of many teams in the pack chasing automatic promotion. The Dons have been gradually rebuilding since their relegation from League One three seasons ago, and although competition is fierce, this season it looks like they have a very good shot at redemption.

In midweek, Matty Stevens picked up the London Football Awards prize for EFL Player of the Year.

The striker has notched 20 goals in 40 games and has been pivotal in firing Wimbledon into the top four this season. Some would say his award is well-earned recognition for his efforts, but I felt the trophy could just as easily have gone to Michael Cheek.

Let’s remember that Cheek, having fired Bromley into the EFL, has bagged 16 goals in his and Bromley’s inaugural season in the Football League, making him joint top-scorer with Stevens. That’s award-worthy in itself.

The lazy question is: if you stop either striker, do you stop their side?

Wimbledon have scored 44 league goals to Bromley’s 43. Stevens aside, the Dons’ next highest scorers are Josh Neufville and James Tilley who both have four to their name.

Similarly for Bromley, remove Cheek and you have Thompson, Arthurs, Congreve, and Sowunmi all on four.

Bromley are currently having to make do without their top assist-makers in Danny Imray and Idris Odutayo. With that in mind, I sense this may end up being as tight as the Bradford match, with one goal possibly being enough, and Bromley having to play a set piece/dead ball percentages game.

We can guess at how Bromley will set up and go about their business defensively, but it is harder to guess which personnel will get things moving offensively on the day.

Unlike many of their promotion rivals, Wimbledon did not add many bodies in the January window.

Osman Foyo joined from Ipswich Town after a productive loan spell at Chelmsford City, with former Oxford United midfielder Marcus Browne being the only other addition.

Johnnie Jackson has chosen to trust his squad and it seems to be paying dividends. Provided they stay free of injury, who is to say he won't lead them to automatic promotion?

In a league where so many away games have been in the North, besides Gillingham, this is Bromley’s closest encounter of the season. Whether you call it Surrey vs Kent or a London derby, one thing is clear… There’s history here.

This isn’t our first rodeo with AFC Wimbledon, as the club’s old-school contingent know only too well. Bromley’s rivalry with the Wombles goes all the way back to the days of the Isthmian Division One South and it lives on vividly in the minds of those who were there.

Crouch! Lock! Engage!

From Bromley with Love XI

Smith

Jenkinson Elerewe Sowunmi Webster Mayor

Arthurs Thompson Charles

Congreve

Cheek

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Please note all match photographs in this article are by Martin Greig - please follow him on Instagram here

All articles are edited by Peter Etherington you can link to him here

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