27 November 2004 - Wimbledon's Game Sets Match Record

On 27 November 2004, two-year old club AFC Wimbledon set an English record by playing in their 78th consecutive league match without a loss.

The club was founded in June 2002 by former supporters of Wimbledon FC, after that club had relocated to Milton Keynes. The new team entered the English football pyramid in the ninth tier, the Combined Counties League, but rose quickly. After losing 2-0 to Withdean 2000 on 22 February 2003, they went unbeaten for the remainder of the season and narrowly missed out on promotion. Their unbeaten streak continued throughout their entire second season as they finished on top of the table in 2004 and jumped to Division 1 of the Isthmian League.

They passed the old record holders, St. Blazey, on 13 November 2004 by drawing 1-1 with Bromley in the 76th match of their unbeaten run. After a 2-0 victory over Dulwich Hamlet the following week, they traveled to Bashley for their record-setting match. Bashley went up 1-0 in the 9th minute, but were undone by set pieces. Wimbledon's Matt Everard equalized in the 60th minute with a header from a corner kick, then Martin Randall gave the visitors the lead with another header from a corner in the 89th minute.

Wimbledon's streak ended on 4 December with a 2-0 loss to Cray Wanderers, but they won the league for their second consecutive promotion. They were promoted twice more--in 2008 and 2009--and currently play in the fifth tier.

22 November 1922 - Minter's Unlucky Number 7

On 22 November 1922, Wilf Minter scored seven goals in an FA Cup match and still ended up on the losing side.

The match was an FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round replay, pairing Dulwich Hamlet from the Isthmian League against Minter's side, reigning Athenian League champions St. Albans. Their first meeting ended in a 1-1 draw at St. Albans, with the hosts nicking a late equalizer.

Played before a crowd of 4,060 at Dulwich's Champion Hill, the replay featured emergency replacements in both goals, which undoubtedly contributed to the scoreline. After the first 30 minutes, Minter had his first hat-trick and St. Albans were leading 3-1. Dulwich rallied to go ahead 5-3 in the 60th minute, but Minter notched another hat-trick in the next 10 minutes to push St. Albans ahead, 6-5. With 5 minutes remaining, Dulwich scored again to send the match to extra time.

Dulwich struck first in extra time, but Minter again rose to the occasion, scoring his seventh to equalize five minutes from time. The teams appeared to be headed for another replay when a Dulwich player named Davis scored his fourth of the day to win the match 8-7.

Dulwich nearly repeated the feat 7 years later, drawing 7-7 with Wealdstone in the FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round.