Eastbourne Borough striker Jamie Taylor is determined to give AFC Wimbledon a reality check tonight.

Taylor helped kick-start the Dons’ seemingly unstoppable rise up the divisions during a brief spell at the club in 2004.

The 26-year-old scored ten goals in 25 games to secure promotion from the Combined Counties League in only their second season since being formed in the aftermath of Wimbledon’s move to Milton Keynes.

Three more promotions have followed to fuel the dream that the Dons can replicate the achievement of the Crazy Gang who rose from non-league to the very top of the English game in the 80s.

Holding title favourites Luton Town to a 1-1 on the opening day in front of a crowd of 4,488 will do nothing to dampen expectations at Kingsmeadow.

Thousands of Dons fans will make the journey to Priory Lane tonight hoping to witness the club’s first victory in Blue Square premier but Taylor is keen to disappoint those who used to chant his name.

Taylor said: “I was only there for three or four months but even in that time it was easy to see the club had great potential.

“Everything about the club is so professional. The fan base is different class and that is what has propelled them up the divisions but I think they will find it a lot tougher this season.

“People are expecting them to be challenging again but this is a very competitive division. They’ll be coming to beat us tonight but we are the more experienced team at this level and will be looking to prove it.

“I’ve played against them twice since leaving and not managed to score so it would be nice to put that right. If it was the winner then even better.”

Taylor, who signed from Grays Athletic in the summer, made an encouraging league debut in the 3-0 defeat at Wrexham on Saturday.

The former Horsham marksman twice went close to scoring before Borough were eventually overpowered by their big-spending opponents.

Taylor added: “I don’t think we deserved to lose 3-0 but to be honest those are the type of games where if we get anything from them it is a bonus.

“Wrexham will be there or thereabout at the end of the season so it was always going to be a tall order going to their place. Obviously we were disappointed to lose but we’ve put it behind us very quickly.

“It is a different story tonight because we have got to be looking to win our home games and especially against one of the newly promoted sides.

“There will be a big crowd and it should be a fanstastic atmosphere. It is my home debut against a former club so I’m looking forward to it.

Taylor is likely to continue alongside Liam Enver-Marum up front with strikers Andy Atkin and Nathan Crabb both facing late fitness tests.