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Former Maidstone striker Joe Pigott has written himself into the history books at AFC Wimbledon.
Pigott scored the first two goals at the Dons’ new stadium as the League 1 club returned to Plough Lane after almost 30 years.
Opponents Doncaster salvaged a point in added time but it was still a special night for Pigott and the Dons, who started the season at QPR's Loftus Road home.
He said: “To get the first goal back at Plough Lane was a great moment for me and it’s a milestone in the club’s history.
"It was disappointing not to win the game, with their equaliser coming so late on.”
Pigott, 26, joined the Dons from Maidstone in January 2018 after a successful spell at his hometown club.
He joined United initially on loan from Cambridge, scoring six goals to help them stay in the National League.
There was no stopping him the following campaign and, with 14 goals in the bag, Pigott was a wanted man when the transfer window opened.
AFC Wimbledon met his release clause, with the promise of a new stadium a big factor in Pigott’s move.
“You hear clubs talk about building stadiums and they never materialise, so to do it how they’ve done it is pretty spectacular,” said Pigott, speaking in a Maidstone United programme interview.
“It’s taken years of hard work but to get there and have such an amazing stadium is unbelievable.
“It’s a huge blow not to have supporters there but to get 10,000 when fans are allowed back will be a really great achievement for everyone involved.
“To get the club back where it belongs, you use that as the building blocks for the club moving forward.
"Hopefully we can become a force in League 1 and progress from there. It’s not too dissimilar to Maidstone and what happened here after the return to the town.”
Pigott, the Dons' six-goal leading scorer this season, still has his best years ahead of him.
But he continues to follow Maidstone and has reiterated his wish to return to the Gallagher Stadium one day.
He said: “I’ve always got my eye on the Stones, getting ready for when I come back here in however many years’ time.
“I’d love to come back at one stage. I loved my time here.”
