Into each season some rain must fall and the claps of thunder that could be heard towards the end of this FA Cup tie signalled a suitably apocalyptic change of fortune for the Dons as two Ashford goals in the last nineteen minutes meant that it's all back to their place for a replay this Tuesday.

Heading into injury time Wimbledon looked to be going through to the next round of the FA Cup courtesy of a header from Steve Butler, 45 seconds into the second half, but then with the last kick of the game substitute Neil Breslin grabbed an equaliser.

The course of the match was changed in the 71st minute. The Dons were two goals up and looking comfortable but within seconds of Ashford manager Mark Butler making a double substitution, the visitors had clawed a goal back. A free kick was swung in from the left and their diminutive striker Scott Todd grabbed his sixth goal of the season, sneaking in to glance a header past Little into the far corner of the net.

Even then the Dons didn't look in any real trouble until the ref's clock ticked on beyond the ninety and the home team conceded a couple of corners. The second of these saw the ball make its way right across the box and land at the feet of Breslin beyond the far post and the man who'd come on as a first half sub gleefully smashed it high into the Dons' net.

It was a devastating way to end an afternoon that had been going so well. Though the pre-match entertainment was a live stream of the Oval downpour on the big screens in both bars, it was a warm humid afternoon at the Meadow as the game kicked off, and the football was bright and breezy with both teams getting forward and creating chances.

After safely negotiating the dreaded second minute without conceding, the Dons took a first half lead. Seven days, two hours and thirty minutes after finding the back of his own net at East Thurrock, Wes Daly succeeded in getting the ball into the opposition's goal. Moore's pass sent Farr clear of the defence and though keeper Burgess managed to block a couple of Sonny goal attempts, the ball arrived at Daly's right foot and he smacked it into an empty net from the edge of the area.

The Dons other best moments in the first half were an early Woolner header that was saved by Burgess and a shot from Sarge that whizzed past the near post.

That one goal lead was doubled with Wimbledon's first attack of the second half. A long throw from Finnie made it all the way to the far side of the area, was knocked back into the centre and Butler headed home from close range.

For the next 25 minutes the Dons looked to be coasting into the next round and could easily have extended their lead. Daly almost capped his man of the match display with a second goal, completing a swift attack with a left footed shot that flew past the far post.

Just past the hour mark Burgess had to make an excellent save from a clever back header by Butler. From the resulting corner the ball reached Howard at the far post but the sure touch in front of goal he showed last Saturday at East Thurrock deserted him and his shot went straight back across the goal and found a defender willing to clear it off the line.

At the final whistle the visitors celebrated wildly (any time, any place, any where - there's nothing quite so exquisite as the decisive last minute strike) and the weather Gods got in on the act, unleashing a swift deluge on the departing Dons fans.