Report: Chesterfield 0-0 MK Dons
MK Dons couldn’t turn their second-half dominance into a goal as they were forced to settle for a point at Chesterfield.
Robbie Neilson’s men were well on top from the hour mark and went close through Nicky Maynard and substitute Daniel Powell, who twice went close in the final 10 minutes.
Darren Potter returned to the starting XI after suspension in place of Samir Carruthers, who is in discussions with an unnamed club over a potential transfer.
Ed Upson saw a shot cleared and Kieran Agard one saved as the Dons started well, dominating possession and territorial advantage.
Chuks Aneke was looking lively and he fed George B Williams as part of a flowing Dons move but he couldn’t pick out a team-mate.
Aneke shot wide and Upson over either side of a weak Ched Evans effort as the men from MK1 saw out a strong first 20 minutes.
Chesterfield came into the game and Evans fired wide, although it wouldn’t have counted as the flag was up, before Nicky Maynard forced Ryan Fulton into action from distance at the other end.
The Dons escaped on 32 minutes when a combination of David Martin and Ben Reeves kept out Ian Evatt’s free header on the line.
Robbie Neilson’s men almost caught their hosts on the counter but after being picked out down the right, Maynard couldn’t find Agard inside the box with a right-wing delivery.
Fancy footwork from Reeves presented him with a shooting opportunity but he dragged it wide while, at the other end, Potter picked up a good position to block a dangerous cross.
With the half coming to a close, Maynard pounced on a loose ball 25 yards and let fly which deflected not too far wide of the right-hand post – nothing came from the resulting corner.
Aneke was causing problems for the Chesterfield defence and only a smart block denied his goal-bound effort testing Fulton from the edge of the box.
The hosts started the second half slightly better but it was the Dons who created the first chance when Agard beat his man and looked for Aneke – Fulton just beat him to the cross.
Aneke was once again in the thick of things on 53 minutes as he fed Maynard but the latter was crowded out when he cut inside to try and get a shot off.
Daniel Powell and George C Williams were introduced on the hour mark and the former almost capitalised on a weak back-pass but Fulton just got to the ball first.
The Dons’ best chance of the second half came on 65 minutes and Upson but, after steadying himself, he couldn’t find the target from the edge of the area.
Six minutes later, a superb save from Fulton denied Maynard’s acrobatic effort finding the corner – the striker coming ever so close to giving the Dons the lead and scoring his 101st career goal in the process!
That signalled the start of a good spell of pressure for the Dons, who had their hosts pinned in as they looked to take advantage of their dominance.
Upson hit the wall from a 25-yard free-kick before Joe Walsh guided a header over the top when well placed – the goal was coming but could the Dons get one?
Into the final 10 minutes and the men from MK1 were still pushing – the impressive Powell brought the best out of Fulton with a fierce effort before Maynard was thwarted by Evatt.
Shortly afterwards, Powell fired over after more good build-up play but that proved to be the last real opportunity and the Dons left with less than what their display deserved.
Starting XI: Martin; GB Williams, Downing, Walsh, Lewington (c); Potter, Upson, Reeves, Aneke (GC Williams 61); Maynard, Agard (Powell 61).
Unused subs: Nicholls, Hendry, Birttain, Rasulo, Tshimanga.
Attendance: 5,554 (394 Dons fans).
Robbie Neilson’s men were well on top from the hour mark and went close through Nicky Maynard and substitute Daniel Powell, who twice went close in the final 10 minutes.
Darren Potter returned to the starting XI after suspension in place of Samir Carruthers, who is in discussions with an unnamed club over a potential transfer.
Ed Upson saw a shot cleared and Kieran Agard one saved as the Dons started well, dominating possession and territorial advantage.
Chuks Aneke was looking lively and he fed George B Williams as part of a flowing Dons move but he couldn’t pick out a team-mate.
Aneke shot wide and Upson over either side of a weak Ched Evans effort as the men from MK1 saw out a strong first 20 minutes.
Chesterfield came into the game and Evans fired wide, although it wouldn’t have counted as the flag was up, before Nicky Maynard forced Ryan Fulton into action from distance at the other end.
The Dons escaped on 32 minutes when a combination of David Martin and Ben Reeves kept out Ian Evatt’s free header on the line.
Robbie Neilson’s men almost caught their hosts on the counter but after being picked out down the right, Maynard couldn’t find Agard inside the box with a right-wing delivery.
Fancy footwork from Reeves presented him with a shooting opportunity but he dragged it wide while, at the other end, Potter picked up a good position to block a dangerous cross.
With the half coming to a close, Maynard pounced on a loose ball 25 yards and let fly which deflected not too far wide of the right-hand post – nothing came from the resulting corner.
Aneke was causing problems for the Chesterfield defence and only a smart block denied his goal-bound effort testing Fulton from the edge of the box.
The hosts started the second half slightly better but it was the Dons who created the first chance when Agard beat his man and looked for Aneke – Fulton just beat him to the cross.
Aneke was once again in the thick of things on 53 minutes as he fed Maynard but the latter was crowded out when he cut inside to try and get a shot off.
Daniel Powell and George C Williams were introduced on the hour mark and the former almost capitalised on a weak back-pass but Fulton just got to the ball first.
The Dons’ best chance of the second half came on 65 minutes and Upson but, after steadying himself, he couldn’t find the target from the edge of the area.
Six minutes later, a superb save from Fulton denied Maynard’s acrobatic effort finding the corner – the striker coming ever so close to giving the Dons the lead and scoring his 101st career goal in the process!
That signalled the start of a good spell of pressure for the Dons, who had their hosts pinned in as they looked to take advantage of their dominance.
Upson hit the wall from a 25-yard free-kick before Joe Walsh guided a header over the top when well placed – the goal was coming but could the Dons get one?
Into the final 10 minutes and the men from MK1 were still pushing – the impressive Powell brought the best out of Fulton with a fierce effort before Maynard was thwarted by Evatt.
Shortly afterwards, Powell fired over after more good build-up play but that proved to be the last real opportunity and the Dons left with less than what their display deserved.
Starting XI: Martin; GB Williams, Downing, Walsh, Lewington (c); Potter, Upson, Reeves, Aneke (GC Williams 61); Maynard, Agard (Powell 61).
Unused subs: Nicholls, Hendry, Birttain, Rasulo, Tshimanga.
Attendance: 5,554 (394 Dons fans).
