Mitchel-King itching to finally make Dons bow (From Your Local Guardian)

Mitchel-King itching to finally make Dons bow

1:18pm Thursday 8th December 2011 in AFC Wimbledon By Graham Moody

Mat Mitchel-King wants to put five months of injury hell behind him and finally make his AFC Wimbledon debut.

The big centre-back joined from Crewe Alexandra in the summer, but has been hit by a succession of injuries that have forced him to watch the Dons’ first ever Football League campaign from the sidelines.

But he played 90 minutes in a 2-1 defeat to Millwall reserves on Tuesday and, with manager Terry Brown blasting his defence for the 3-1 FA cup exit at Bradford City last weekend, King could be just the man to tighten up the club’s back four when they host Accrington Stanley on Saturday.

“You expect to get injuries but not three in succession – especially three separate ones,” said the 28-year-old, who was struck down with glandular fever at the start of the season before suffering ankle and back injuries in training.

“Mike Rayner has nursed me back to fitness and I hope I can just come back and help from now until the end of the season.

“I played 90 minutes for the reserves on Tuesday, so I am the closest I have been to first team selection since I have been here.

“But I haven’t really played for four months, so I am a bit rusty and you could see it against Millwall, some of my decision making was not as good as if I had been playing week in, week out.

“I am the new signing so fans are anticipating seeing me play and I want to show what I can do and why the manager brought me here.”