MK Dons – Swindon Match Report

Roberto Di Matteo reverts back to the starting eleven that comfortably beat Huddersfield 3-1 last weekend, with midfielder Flavien Belson making his second start for the Dons.

The full starting eleven reads as follows: Gueret, Cummings, Stirling, Regan, Lewington, O’Hanlon, Wright, Leven, Belson, Wilbraham, Baldock.

The five allocated substitutes for the hosts read as follows: Abbey, Chicksen, Navarro, Johnson, Gallen.

The visitors, Swindon Town, line up as follows: P.Smith, Aljofree, Ifil, J.Smith, Timlin, Easton, Nalis, NcNamee, Casal, Paynter, Cox.

Their substitutes bench looks as follows: Brezovan, Amankwaah, McGovern, Marshall, Peacock.

They are very warm and sunny conditions at kick-off in Milton Keynes, as new permanent club captain Dean Lewington leads his side out ahead of this match-up. Lewington wins the toss, surely a good sign, and opts to defend the Cowshed in this first half. The referee this afternoon is high-profile Premier League regular Steve Bennett.

It is the home side who come out of the blocks the quickest, as Sam Baldock has an early opportunity on 2 minutes. Leven slides the ball back to the young striker and Baldock’s effort is deflected behind for a corner. Wright’s delivery is comfortably caught by Swindon goalkeeper Phil Smith.

The Dons are having plenty of possession in the opening ten minutes, as another corner is won on 7 minutes. A better delivery this time from Wright, which forces Ifil to respond, heading clear from danger.

The visitors have their first effort on goal of the afternoon on 9 minutes, as Nalis dispossesses Belson in midfield, before McNamee attempts an ambitious effort from 35 yards, which sails past Gueret’s goalposts.

The game settles down now that the opening frenetic pace has died down. Stirling shows some impressive defensive work to stick close by Paynter, before winning a throw-in off the striker.

The first golden chance of the game arrives on 17 minutes, and it falls to Dons new-boy Leven. Wright does well down the left, before swinging in a right-footed delivery which causes huge problems for defender Ifil. The ball comes to Leven ten yards from goal but, after composing himself, the midfielder snatches at his shot and Smith makes a good save.

On 21 minutes Baldock’s hard work almost pays off, when the striker chases down goalkeeper Smith as he attempts a clearance. The rookie forward manages to block Smith’s clearance, but the ball flies just past the left post.

The hosts are content with building up slow, patient attacks, passing the ball around midfield often without any real penetration. On 24 minutes, after some more good interchange play between Belson, Cummings and Regan, the on-loan Chelsea star’s cross is caught simply by the goalkeeper.

On 27 minutes the visitors break up the constant Dons pressure with an attack of their own. Belson concedes a free-kick mid-way inside his own half, which is taken short and finds McNamee out wide, but the winger’s cross is too deep.

Another chance for the visitors, as Easton finds Timlin with a nice slide-rule pass, but the midfielder’s shot lacks power and trickles through to goalkeeper Gueret.

On 33 minutes, Swindon’s Nalis is down on the ground receiving treatment for a head injury. It gives an opportunity for former Dons player Jon-Paul McGovern to stretch his legs with a warm-up, and he is warmly greeted by his former supporters in the Cowshed.

Timlin is lucky to get away without a booking on 35 minutes, as he slides into the back of Leven. Shortly afterwards, a free-kick from Leven on the right is awkwardly dealt with by goalkeeper Smith.

A half-chance for the home side, as Stirling’s enormous throw is put to good use, and finds O’Hanlon inside the penalty area, only for referee Bennett to blow for a foul.

Another really good chance for the MK Dons, as Baldock’s flick-on finds Wright galloping towards goal, with an unmarked Wilbraham in the centre. However, the midfielder decided to go it alone, and is quickly closed down by Aljofree. Baldock picks up the pieces and squares for Cummings, whose effort with his right foot curls just wide and hits the stantion.

The game appears to have died as it nears the half-time interval, with Swindon seemingly content to sit back and absorb the Dons pressure. The home side are craving a little flair, imagination, spark.

More good build-up play by the hosts on 44 minutes, only for Wilbraham’s final ball to let him down. Lewington’s delivery also causes problems in stoppage time, but the sliding Baldock just cannot connect.

With seconds remaining before the interval, the Dons come within inches of taking a deserved lead. Wright causes havoc down the right flank, before delivery a deadly ball towards Wilbraham. The big forward’s header has Phil Smith in goal beaten, but rebounds off the bar and away. Desperately unlucky for Wilbraham; that’s the second consecutive league game where the striker has hit the woodwork with a header!

Steve Bennett sounds the halfway point of this League One clash, with neither side having found a breakthrough.

HALF TIME – MK DONS 0-0 SWINDON

There is a change for the visitors at the start of this second period, as Casal is replaced by Kevin Amankwaah.

It is Swindon who begin the second half slightly brighter, with some possession down their right-hand side, although all it comes to is a Dons free-kick after a foul on Gueret.

The MK Dons break almost immediately, with Baldock going down the opposite end to win a corner. Wright’s delivery is decent and is headed behind by Cox for a second set-play. This time Leven delivers, only for the ball to be cleared as far as Lewington. The new skipper returns the ball back out to Leven, who swings in a wicked cross with his left foot. Wilbraham manages to get something onto it and divert it goalbound, but Phil Smith pulls off a very good save to deny him.

On 52 minutes the visitors grab an unexpected lead, and it’s former Swindon man Sean O’Hanlon who is the culpit. Typical of the hosts play all afternoon, O’Hanlon and Stirling seem content to pass the ball around amongst themselves just outside their penalty area. However, O’Hanlon is robbed twenty yards out by Cox, who advances to goal before squaring for Paynter to finish from 14 yards.

MK DONS 0-1 SWINDON – Paynter, 52

The Dons appear on the racks a little after going behind against the run of play. Nalis is beginning to control the midfield engine now as he and his fellow team-mates grow in confidence. Meanwhile, Regan is booked for flying into a late challenge on McNamee.

While the Swindon man is receiving some treatment after Regan’s crunching challenge, the attendance is confirmed as 8,846.

On 64 minutes, Cummings does well down the left flank before winning a corner. Wright whips it in with his right foot, the goalkeeper doesn’t get anywhere near it, and Stirling powers in to turn the ball into the back of the net.

MK DONS 1-1 SWINDON – Stirling, 64

The game has come to life now as both sides can smell three points. A brilliant challenge from Wright wins the ball from Jack Smith on the edge of the Swindon area. Wright feeds Wilbraham down the right, but Baldock cannot get on the end of his low, smashed cross.

With twenty minutes remaining, Di Matteo signals his intent to get maximum points thi afternoon, as he replaces Stirling with Jemal Johnson. Lewington will slot into centre-back, with Cummings going to left-back.

Some more good combination play for the Dons, this time between Belson and Baldock, almost sees the former with enough space to shoot, only for Easton to thwart the new signing with a great tackle.

A chance for the visitors on 73 minutes, as McNamee’s inswinging delivery is glanced goalwards by Cox, but flies the wrong side of the post.

Back down the other end in this end-to-end contest, as Wright swings in another corner. O’Hanlon rises but can only head over the top.

Mark Wright is the driving force again as the Dons attack for a killer second goal. He runs intently at the Swindon backline before unleashing an effort from 30 yards, which is watched comfortably wide by Phil Smith.

With thirteen minutes remaining, Di Matteo makes his second change of the match, replacing Baldock with Kevin Gallen in a like-for-like swap.

Moments later the visitors respond by making their final two substitutions; Lee Peacock replacing goalscorer Paynter, and Mark Marshall in place of McNamee.

It’s all hands to the pump now as the game enters the final ten minutes, with Di Matteo striding purposefully to the edge of his technical area to urge his side on.

Swindon are the side now pressing for a winner, as Marshall goes down under a challenge from Lewington, only for referee Bennett to wave away any penalty claims. Then, Cox makes room for himself on the edge of the area, only for his effort to be blocked behind for a corner, which is taken short and eventually headed from danger by Wilbraham.

On 89 minutes the visitors push forward even more determinedly for a winner. Marshall crosses from the left, and the ball manages to run all the way across the six-yard box to Easton, who is felled by Lewington. This time Mr Bennett does point to the spot and awards Swindon a penalty kick. Cox steps up to convert a heartbreaking penalty as the clock ticks into stoppage time at stadium:mk.

MK DONS 1-2 SWINDON – Cox (pen), 89

There are four minutes of added time as the MK Dons seek a dramatic late point. Leven’s free-kick from over 20 yards is comfortable for Smith.

A sliced clearance from Peacock, with half of the added time play, flies up into the air and, as Gallen challenges for it, he goes down under the challenge from Aljofree. This time Steve Bennett is unmoved.

With just a minute remaining, Jack Smith is booked for time-wasting, as the hosts throw bodies forward for one last push, however Cummings’ delivery is headed wide by O’Hanlon for a goal-kick.

The referee signals the end of this contest, and the MK Dons have managed to throw the points away here more than once. With chances aplenty in the first half, the game should have been put to bed by the break. Di Matteo’s side are missing that creative spark or bit of magic that can unlock a defence, as well as somebody who can clinically put the ball in the back of the net on a regular basis.

FULL TIME – MK DONS 1-2 SWINDON TOWN

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