FA Cup first-round action heads to the Mornflake Stadium on Saturday as Crewe Alexandra welcome AFC Wimbledon.

The hosts will be eager to put a recent dip in form behind them, while the visitors arrive looking to end a run of eight games without a competitive victory.

Match preview

Crewe have made an encouraging start to their League Two campaign, sitting fourth in the table with 22 points to their name.

Although the Railwaymen have not been particularly prolific in front of goal, scoring just 17 times in the league, Lee Bell’s side have proved difficult to beat, suffering only four defeats across all competitions and maintaining an unbeaten record at home. 

Unfortunately for the hosts, two of those defeats have come in the last three games, with Crewe enduring a clear dip in form.

A 2-0 defeat away to Exeter City was followed up by a 5-1 thumping at the hands of Chesterfield, before Crewe eventually stopped the slide with a 1-1 home draw against Barnet.

Bell and his men will now turn their attention to the FA Cup, as they look to progress into the second round for the first time since the 2023-24 season.

AFC Wimbledon, meanwhile, will head to the Alexandra Stadium looking to end a miserable run of results across all competitions.

The Dons have lost six of their last seven games, with four of those losses coming in League One - a run which leaves them 18th in the standings.

Johnnie Jackson’s side have only won four games this entire season, and their last success took place all the way back in mid-September, when they edged past Doncaster Rovers 1-0. 

More recently, Wimbledon were beaten 2-1 by a strong Stockport County side - a game which saw the Dons surrender a one-goal lead in the final 25 minutes.

Jackson and his men will now turn their attention to FA Cup duties as they prepare to take on a side which they have not faced since February 2025.

Despite this, the Dons will take encouragement from their last head-to-head meeting which saw them secure a comfortable 3-0 victory.

Crewe Alexandra form (all competitions):

AFC Wimbledon form (all competitions):

Team News

Crewe have added some experience to their midfield options by bringing James Jones back to the club on a short-term contract running until January.

The midfielder previously helped the Railwaymen to promotion back in 2020, and he was most recently playing for Burton Albion. 

Jordan Gibson is another midfielder likely to have an important part to play, with the Crewe man having found the net five times in his last seven appearances.

Wimbledon are dealing with a couple of injury concerns, most significantly the continued absence of striker Mathew Stevens, who has been sidelined with a hamstring problem since March.

Stevens scored 26 league goals for the Dons over the previous two years, meaning his absence has been a considerable blow, with Harry Cornick and Jayden Stockley shouldering much of the attacking responsibility.

Fellow forward Dujuan Richards has also been out of action since late September with an injury.

Crewe Alexandra possible starting lineup:

Lawlor; Hutchinson, Stephenson, Offord, Billington; Thomas, Holicek; Gibson, Tabiner, March; McNeill

AFC Wimbledon possible starting lineup:

Bursik; Sasu, Seddon, Johnson, Yiadom, Tilley; Hippolyte, Harrison, Smith; Cornick, Stockley

We say: Crewe Alexandra 2-1 AFC Wimbledon

The visitors may be higher on the football league ladder, but form and momentum cannot be ignored.

Crewe are unbeaten at home this season across all competitions, winning five of their nine games at the Alexandra Stadium, and we’re backing them to extend that run with a narrow victory.

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