The 'different level' Ronan Curtis goal that has AFC Wimbledon faithful all saying same thing about former Portsmouth favourite

‘Different level’. ‘Way too good for this league’. ‘Is different gravy’ - these are just some of the verdicts AFC Wimbledon fans have been sharing on social media after former Pompey winger Ronan Curtis scored a spectacular goal for the Dons against Barrow on Saturday.

Picking up a loose ball 30 yards from goal, following a mistake by the Bluebirds goalkeeper, the ex-Fratton Park favourite mercilessly volleyed the ball home with precision to open the scoring at Plough Lane.

The impressive deadly strike came just 16 minutes into Curtis’ first start for his new club as Johnnie Jackson’s side moved up to eighth in the League Two table and a point shy of the play-off places with their 2-0 victory over fourth-placed Barrow.

It also represented the Republic of Ireland international’s second goal for the Dons, with the 27-year-old netting a 90th-minute winner for the promotion hopefuls against Mansfield last month - just minutes after his introduction as a second-half substitute.

With two goals from his first four games for the Londoners, it represents the ideal Wimbledon start for the Irishman, who exited Fratton Park at the end of last year following five seasons at the club. 

The last few months of his PO4 stay will have been tough, with Curtis in rehab following an ACL injury that had kept him out of action since last February - and, crucially, out of contract.

Yet he appears to have quickly put those frustrations well behind him, with Pompey’s top scorer of the 21st century making an instant impact with his new employers.

His current Wimbledon contract runs until the end of the season, with Curtis signing a short-term deal with the club in January as he tries to get his career back on track. But there’ll be plenty of Dons fans out there hoping that their club can tie the forward down for longer following an eye-catching start to life at Plough Lane.

Commenting on X, formerly Twitter, these fans are clearly impressed with what they’ve seen so far from the former Derry City man. ‘Ronan Curtis was incredible (against Barrow) way too good for this league. He is incredible’, wrote @Reese_Fletcher1. ‘Today only confirms what I thought Ronan Curtis is different gravy’, was @EspyAFCW’s verdict. @georgebrown313 commented: ‘Ronan Curtis at L2 level is a joke. Different level’. Meanwhile, @batmansalt posted: ‘Trying not to get too attached to him, going to hurt just as bad as Ali (Al Hamadi) if not worse at the end of the season if he goes.’

Curtis received a standing ovation when he was substituted on 67 minutes on Saturday.

Pompey are doing more than okay without a player who bagged 57 goals in 226 appearances for the club. They’re top of League One and currently boast an impressive array of attacking talent thanks to the likes of Paddy Lane, Abu Kamara, Myles-Peart Harris, Callum Lang, Colby Bishop and Kusini Yengi. 

Yet there’s still some members of the Fratton faithful, who believe Curtis could have added something to the current title push under John Mousinho. Others disagree. But, in truth, we’ll never know now!