Robbie and Robbo both going well as the MK Dons and the Addicks gear up for the big match

Match number 11 on The Road to Wembley from Scotland takes place in two days time when I will be in Milton Keynes for the FA Cup round 2 replay between MK Dons and Charlton Athletic. Yesterday the Dons and the Addicks completed their preparations for the big match on Tuesday by playing in two very different League One fixtures.

The Dons hosted what promised to be one of the most memorable matches of the season when AFC Wimbeldon visited Milton Keynes for a league fixture for the very first time. The match was also new manager Robbie Neilson’s first game in the Stadium MK dugout. All eyes were on the young Scotsman as he seeks to launch his career in English football by improving the fortunes of the MK Dons.

It's my ball: Robbie Neilson makes his mark at Stadium MK

Robbie could not have chosen a more difficult fixture for his ‘home debut’. The AFC Wimbledon story is well documented, albeit often inaccurately, and they get very favourable treatment from a media that considers their tale to be romantic. They are portrayed as a club that has risen from the ashes of the old Wimbledon FC after the club was ‘stolen’ and taken away to Milton Keynes by that nasty man Pete Winkleman. I have learned over the last eight weeks that there are two sides to this story and it is certainly not quite as simple as that. There is no doubt that the fans of AFC harbour lingering resentment against MK Dons and in return the MK Dons fans have had a bellyful of the vitriol aimed against them and do not have many AFC fans on their Christmas card list. The match was always going to be tense and the atmosphere was always going to be hostile. Over 11000 turned up at MK yesterday to see the gladiatorial contest. Despite the fact that MK Dons have not won a league match at their home ground since March, Robbie Neilson was able to work the oracle as he masterminded a victory in his very first league game in charge. One subtle change that Neilson made was to move veteran captain Dean Lewington from the left back berth to centre back. This tactical move has been lauded by the MK Dons fans on facebook. In addition to having a fine match in defence Lewington also managed to forage upfield and he won a penalty when he was impeded in the opposition box in the 63^rd minute. Dean Bowditch converted and the MK Dons ran out 1-0 winners. Football has a habit of providing amazing coincidences. Dean Lewington is the last playing connection between the now defunct Wimbledon FC and the MK Dons. When Wimbledon moved to Milton Keynes in 2003 Lewington was on the staff and indeed played 29 times for Wimbledon as a youngster. He has now played well over 500 games for the MK Dons and how ironic his contribution was so central to the outcome yesterday.

Dean Lewington commiserates with an AFC Wimbeldon player after the final whistle

Meanwhile the Addicks travelled north to play Bradford City and played out a goalless draw in front of a big crowd at Valley Parade. Ex MK Dons boss Karl Robinson, now in charge of Charlton Athletic, hence continued his good start in the hot seat. The Addicks have now gone six games without defeat in all competitions.

While things have been a bit manic at Stadium MK over the last week or so things have been a lot calmer at The Valley as the team have quietly gone about their business. Off the pitch the Coalition Against Roland Duchatelet (CARD) are doing their very best to keep their campaign in the spotlight. They recently re-tweeted the picture below.

Time to go Roland? CARD keep their campaign in the spotlight on twitter this week

From a personal point of view I do hope that they can bring about a change of ownership and have their fans flocking back to their impressive Valley stadium soon.

So, on Tuesday night in Milton Keynes The Dons and The Addicks go head to head with a place in the third round of the FA Cup on offer to the winners. Thanks to the generosity of The MK Dons I will be there in the ‘Club Red’ hospitality area to watch the match in comfort after being given a stadium tour. There has to be winner on Tuesday and extra time and penalties may be needed to decide the outcome. Will I be following The Dons or The Addicks to Brighton in early January? Come back here on Wednesday to find out. It promises to be a fascinating stop on the Road to Wembley from Scotland.