Back in August, when AFC Wimbledon began the latest chapter in their great adventure, many of us would have accepted eighth place this April as a fantastic achievement. But after being in or near the playoffs and having had one of the best goal differences in the Blue Square Premier for much of the campaign, such a finish came as a disappointment.

Tellingly, long-term injuries took their toll, with the loss of Alan Inns, Ross Montague, Lewis Taylor and Jon Main, and many others suffering injury at one time or another. The transfer of Chris Hussey left a hole that hasn’t properly been filled.

The biggest disappointment was the loan players brought in this year: for the most part failing to deliver, and on many occasions keeping out players who, one suspects, would have played with more heart and soul. On Saturday, Will Hendry and Glenn Poole were the last of the loan players to turn out; they were substituted by teenagers early in the second half.

In the fourth minute of the match, Hendry committed an unnecessary foul. The free-kick, from the edge of the penalty box, eluded the makeshift Dons back four, and Daryl Clare swept the ball home for the only goal of the game from four yards out. This goal would be Gateshead’s lifeline to safety. Just five minutes later they should have been two up. A long clearance by keeper Paul Farman - who had only one save to make in the whole match - found Peter Winn, but he failed to bury his chance from within the penalty box.

In the 16th minute Wimbledon had a glorious opportunity to equalise after a period of continual pressure. A long throw-in by youngster Ryan Jackson caused panic in the Gateshead defence; three times Danny Kedwell attempted to get a shot away, but each time a player blocked his turn, and eventually the home side cleared their lines.

Hendry then showed a bit of skill: after being fed by Steven Gregory, he beat the right-back, but rather than cross the ball he tried to beat his player again, and the attack fizzled out. Manager Terry Brown was not best pleased and made his feelings know very clearly. Three minutes later, Winn should have sown up the game. Just a yard from goal, he managed to clear the bar and the running track as well. Groans from the home supporters, and relief from the 504 away fans.

Two more chances came and went for Gateshead. In the 27th minute, Graeme Armstrong was through one on one but simply chipped his shot into the grateful arms of Dons keeper Seb Brown. Then a great run by Craig Baxter took him past makeshift left-back Kennedy Adjei, and he made a fine pass to the supporting Wayne Phillips, but Phillips followed the lead of Winn and blasted over from 20 yards.

When the Dons won a corner, Kedwell had a great chance to capitalise on the wastefulness of his opposite numbers, but he headed over while unmarked inside the six-yard box. Earlier in the season, that would have been a goal. A quick break saw Brown perform heroics on the line by keeping out a goal-bound shot from Clare, while at the other end a keen move involving Brett Johnson, Luke Moore and the non-stop Kedwell wasted a further chance from eight yards.

The second half saw Wimbledon dominate for long periods, as Manager Ian Bogie set out his Gateshead team to hold their slim lead. This can sometimes be a dangerous ploy, but against a powder-puff Wimbledon side it seemed the correct decision.

After the energetic Matt Harmsworth and Jack Stafford replaced Hendry and Poole in the 50th and 63rd minutes, Gateshead were penned back as the youngsters tore into the defence. Although not a single shot was on target, the statistic of seven second-half shots off target indicates the pressure the Dons were now exerting. Two Jack Stafford efforts from 35 and 25 yards narrowly missed the target. Ricky Wellard and Luke Moore also tried their luck, but again bodies in the way and inaccurate shooting kept the Dons goal tally to zero.

As the final whistle sounded, the home supporters were listening to the final moments of the games involving Forest Green Rovers and Ebbsfleet. The results confirmed their survival for another season. Gateshead have exciting plans for a new 9,500-capacity stadium nearer the town centre ready for the 2011/12 season - plans that will chime with Dons fans - and they are a friendly club, so perhaps they deserve a bit of good fortune.

Many supporters and the players stayed the weekend and joined with fans of Newcastle who celebrated their own promotion just up the road. Terry Brown, Stuart Cash and Simon Bassey began their big summer job of rebuilding the side.