Brown gives Wimbledon their greatest day

The Dons triumphed 4-3 on penalties after the game ended 0-0 after 90 minutes and after extra time.

It was by no means a dull goalless draw though and both sides could, and maybe should, have won it before it was left to the lottery of a penalty shoot out to decide who would take the 92nd place in the Football League.

Seb Brown made himself the hero for the Dons as he saved spot kicks from Alex Lawless and Josh Walker before captain Danny Kedwell blasted home the decisive final penalty to send the Wimbledon fans into hysteria.

It was harsh on Luton, who played their part in a fantastic game of football that neither they, nor Wimbledon, deserved to lose.

But in the end it was Wimbledon who triumphed and went some way to writing the wrong of nine years ago when the Football Association sanctioned the move of the old Wimbledon from south London to Milton Keynes.

The match started at a frantic pace that would not cease for the entire 120 minutes.

Zdenek Kroca headed a tough chance wide early on for Luton and Jamie Stuart did the same for Wimbledon.

Kedwell then thought he had made the breakthrough as Mark Tyler spilled Kaid Mohamed's shot into his path and although he tapped the ball into the net, his celebrations were cut short by the linesman's flag.

Brett Johnson then denied Walker with a fantastic tackle before Brown held on to Jake Howells shot despite a deflection off Steven Gregory.

Luton's Claude Gnapka then had two chances to give the Hatters the lead but saw Brown save one angled drive and then put a free header from a free kick over the bar.

The second half continued in the same vein as the first with both teams pressing for a goal but neither fashioned any clear openings.

Gareth Gwillim, who had been a doubt for the game with injury, was replaced by Ismail Yakubu after an hour and he was to go on to play a vital part in the game.

James Mulley, a substitute for Ricky Wellard, almost had an instant impact but saw his curling effort tipped around the post by Tyler.

As the game entered the last five minutes of normal time, Luton should have won the match twice.

Brown denied Walker went through on goal but the ball broke in the box and Sam Hatton had to produce a goalline block to keep the scores level.

Walker then went even closer but saw his header hit the base of the post and rebound into the arms of Brown.

There was even time for Kedwell to have one final chance but Ed Asafu-Adjave's blocked as the referee blew for full time and an extra 90 minutes.

It was a game no one wanted to end but tiredness crept into the match as extra time wore on and Wimbledon lost Gregory to injury, replaced by Lee Minshull.

Lawless came closest to scoring in the opening half of extra time but saw his effort curl just wide.

It was Wimbledon who dominated the second half and really should have won the game.

Mulley found himself through on goal but blasted straight at Tyler instead of placing the ball into the corner.

Mohamed then latched on to a Luke Moore cutback but could only hit the post before Yakubu wasted the greatest chance of them all.

Entering injury time in extra time, Hatton's cross found him all alone at the back post but he headed woefully wide.

It was the last action of the game as the referee called for penalties.

Taken in front of the Dons fans, Wimbledon got off to the perfect start as Brown saved from Lawless with the first kick.

Hatton, George Pilkington, Moore and Adam Newton then all scored before Mohamed saw his spot kick saved to leave the scores at 2-2 after three penalties apiece.

Brown though saved the next penalty from Walker and Yakubu erased memories of his horror miss by scoring from 12 yards to put the Dons back in front.

Howells scored his kick to keep Luton in it but Kedwell slammed his kick into the net to seal victory and give Wimbledon a place in the Football League only nine years after they were formed.

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