A classic of epic proportions and six more goals followed in the 2nd leg! Shame so few were there.
Tuesday 19th September 1995. Coca-Cola Cup 2nd round 1st leg. Selhurst Park. Att 3,718.
Wimbledon 4 (1)(Holdsworth 10 69, Earle 71, Clarke 87) Charlton Athletic 5 (2) (Garland 24, Bowyer 41 76 78, Grant 84)
Wimbledon: Heald, Cunningham, Kimble, Jones, Leonhardsen (Goodman 61), Earle, Ekoku (Clark 61), Holdsworth, Gayle, Reeves, Perry. Unused sub: Fear.
Charlton: Salmon, Humphrey, Stuart, Garland, Rufus, Balmer, Newton, Nelson (Robson 84), Robinson (Grant 73), Leaburn, Bowyer. Unused sub: Chapple.
Referee: Mike Reed (Birmingham)
Bowyer became the 2nd youngest player to score a hat-trick in a senior match for the Addicks.
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Comments
Remember I was in the lower tier of the Holmsdale with some Womble fans I know. Sat on my hands until the 4th goal but had to go up for that.
Seemed to be more of us than them - AdamAddick got it right, it really felt like a playground game in terms of the number of goals flying in. Daft fact - I think their goalie got man of the match believe it or not, the norm was to give it to someone on the home side regardless. He got a mountain bike I think! Second leg was 3-3 I seem to remember, highlight was a sublime ball from Bowyer to put Robbo in for a goal at the covered end.
Two away hat-tricks in the space of 5 days!
As well as his goal I remember Garland hitting a shot that went like a rocket from somewhere just outside the centre circle. Would've been goal of the century if it'd gone in but think either their keeper made a blinding save or it hit the woodwork - can't reacall which. Anyone else remember?
Thought I'd died and gone to heaven - was at both games. Superb memories. That Wimbledon game was amazing and I can't believe the crowd. There appeared to be twice as many of us, then them.
Loved Peter Garland.
But if those had never happened this would be my most memorable game of all. Before the game all I could think what an awful draw it was as Wimbledon never used to get knocked out of cups by lower league teams and the gate would be so bad we would make no money out of it (very important back then!). The team was fantastic and we scored 5 when it could have easily been 10.
I know Bowyer will never be the most popular of players in light of subsequent events but when I think back on Bow playing for us it was performances like this. 18 years old running a Prem team ragged. He should have become an England great and for that he only has himself to blame.
As mentioned by others to then go to Ipswich on the Saturday and knock another 5 in was unbelievable. The walk back to Ipswich station was weird having seen us score 10 in two away games. I knew that was a special moment that even them I doubted would ever come round again but moments like this is why we bother going in the first place for matches like that.
Even make me feel old.
and yes, I was there..........