View from Kingsmeadow, Volume 22: Starting the New Year Right

Terry Brown's AFC Wimbledon opened 2011 on an auspicious note as they took on Football Conference laggards Hayes & Yeading United at Kingsmeadow.

"I am looking forward to the New Year's Day fixture with Hayes and Yeading," Brown said. "We are still suffering with several players doubtful due to the ongoing virus. Hopefully we will be able to field two strong enough sides over the weekend period to enable us to continue our recent league form."

"Stuart and I had the opportunity of watching Hayes beat Eastbourne a couple of weeks ago and I think we will be in for a very hard game tomorrow. Saturday's game is the first in a month where we play ten games from 1 January to 1 February and the work load on our squad will be incredibly hard with a game approximately every three days."

With the transfer window officially open, the club wasted no time in getting some firepower in the continuing race for promotion to the Football League Two by signing forward Kirk Hudson.

"Having sat down with the board prior to the January window," Brows said, "I am glad to say that the club is in a position to strengthen during the window. I am pleased to say that the first of our signings was finalised today. We have just signed Kirk Hudson on loan from Brentford until the end of the season including, if necessary, the play offs. I had the pleasure of signing Kirk from Celtic as a young man at Aldershot where he contributed 14 goals in their promotion season and therefore has the winning credentials to help us in our own push for the league."

"Kirk is a very talented forward whose strengths are his pace and his finishing and having worked with the boy I know he will add to what is already a very good dressing room. He will be available for selection tomorrow and although he hasn't played a lot of football recently we look forward to giving him some game time against Hayes."

"I am delighted to be joining Wimbledon," Hudson said. "I am joining another team which plays attacking football and I just can't wait to be playing again."

Hudson earned second-half playing time in the New Year's Day clash. Goals from Ryan Jackson in the 51st minute, newcomer James Mulley in the 54th minute and Luke Moore in the 86th minute gave Wimbledon a comprehensive 3-1 victory over a Hayes side that were down to 10 men after 78 minutes.

"James [Mulley] has been training with us for a while," Brown said, "and we wanted to have a longer look at him so we offered him non contract terms. He is a very versatile player who looks comfortable in several positions - fans may recall that he played against us at right back for Charlton in the pre-season friendly and in midfield for Hayes and Yeading twice last season."

"James has impressed us in training and so we felt it was right to take the next step."

The result set up a monumental showdown at Newport, Wales on Monday, Jan. 3 when they took on Newport County AFC.

Goals from Mulley in the 28th minute, Sam Hatton in the 47th minute and an equalizer from Rashid Yussuff in the 82nd minute gave the Dons a well-deserved 3-3 draw after being down 3-1 at halftime.

The victory keeps Terry Brown's Dons in first place with 48 points, two ahead of second-place Crawley Town.

AFC Wimbledon will look to exact payback for the 2-0 defeat to Darlington on Saturday, Jan. 8. Kickoff is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. ET.

The Dons will then look to earn some more payback when Luton Town comes to Kingsmeadow on Wednesday, Jan. 12. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:45 p.m. ET.