THE mood of joy, hope and expectation amongst the home fans at AFC Wimbledon on Saturday could hardly have contrasted more from the atmosphere at Rodney Parade seven days earlier.

Newport County AFC ended their home campaign with a 1-0 defeat to Notts County last week and it promises to be another summer of rebuilding after a 22nd-place finish.

The Dons beat the Exiles 1-0 with a second-string side and can now look forward to a play-off semi-final date with Accrington Stanley, with League One football a real possibility next season.

But as the home players started a lap of honour around their Kingsmeadow ground after the match the stadium announcer thanked the 402 travelling fans and made a point of saying that the two clubs were very similar.

And it’s true that both fan-owned clubs have followed a similar path through the divisions over the past decade.

And while County were winning promotion to League Two at Wembley three years ago Neal Ardley was keeping the Dons up on the final day.

Ardley’s men finished 20th in 2013 and 2014, 15th last season and seventh in this campaign.

County fans might have to show some patience but their opponents on Saturday have shown that it is possible to go from no-hopers to promotion hopefuls without a huge budget or a massive fan-base.

Manager Warren Feeney has spoken about wanting to bring in the ‘right’ players with the ‘right mentality’ and Wimbledon clearly have that, as well as a nice mix of experience and youthful exuberance.

For the time being they also have the almost unplayable Adebayo Akinfenwa and County couldn’t handle The Beast.

The man mountain of a striker was only playing as Ardley rested 21-goal Lyle Taylor and it looks as is Akinfenwa will be leaving this summer.

With talk of a move to the US he will almost certainly be out of reach for Feeney but, having watched the 33-year-old run his side ragged on Saturday, the Exiles boss would surely love to bring him to Rodney Parade for next season.

Akinfenwa has just six goals in 21 starts in this campaign but he clearly loves playing against County.

He scored twice and missed a penalty on their last visit and he was the central figure once again.

Akinfenwa created a golden opportunity for strike partner Rhys Murphy in first half stoppage time and fired one shot inches wide before heading against a post after the break.

He also demonstrated his immense physical presence, allied with some superb close control and impressive passing ability.

He was handed the chance of a perfect farewell gift of a match-winning penalty when Tommy O'Sullivan pushed over fellow substitute Toyosi Olusanya with 10 minutes left on the clock.

But Akinfenwa opted instead to let the 18-year-old debutant take the spot kick and Olusanya made no mistake, blasting the ball past the recalled Rhys Taylor in the County goal.

Scott Boden had headed into the side netting in the first half and Lenell John-Lewis and O’Sullivan forced home goalkeeper James Shea into fine saves.

But Feeney admitted that his side lacked ‘belief’ in the final third and 43 goals scored in 46 games – the joint lowest tally in the division – tells its own story.

At the other end a total of 64 goals conceded is better than all but one of the bottom 10 but there is clearly room for improvement in that department too.

Taylor, back from an impressive loan spell at Wrexham in the Conference, flapped at one high ball but otherwise looked the part.

With regular number one Joe Day under contract already this is likely to be Taylor’s one and only League appearance for County, however.

Feeney knows he needs to strengthen in other areas and it seems certain to be another busy summer at Rodney Parade.

County: Taylor; Holmes, Partridge, Hughes, Davies; Rodman, Byrne, Owen-Evans (O’Sullivan, 62) Barrow; Boden (Meechan, 83), John-Lewis (Coulibaly, 62)

Subs not used: Green, Parselle, Angel, Jones

Referee: Geoff Eltringham (County Durham)

Attendance: 4,427 (402 County)