Wimbledon hit new low with crowd of just 849

History was made at Selhurst Park last night when just 849 fans turned up to watch Wimbledon beat Rotherham 2-1 through goals by Neil Shipperley and David Connolly.

The meagre crowd was the all-time record low for the First Division, easily beating the 2,077 who turned out when the Milton Keynes-bound Dons' entertained Coventry earlier in the season. Amazingly, over a quarter of the attendance – 227 people to be precise – travelled from South Yorkshire to support the Millers.

If there is to be a lower crowd involving Football League clubs this season it could be next week, when the two sides meet again in the Worthington Cup.

There was better news for Wimbledon's co-tenants, Crystal Palace, who came back from 2-0 and 3-1 down to beat Walsall 4-3, striker Andy Johnson hitting a hat-trick – his second in four days.

That was not the highest-scoring game in the First Division though, as Grimsby beat Burnley 6-5 in a topsy-turvey encounter at Blundell Park. The Mariners were 4-2 ahead after 36 minutes, Barnsley fighting back to level just after half-time. Goals from Alan Pouton and Simon Ford made it 6-4, however a Robbie Blake penalty with seven minutes to go ensured an exciting finish.