A debut goal from Charlotte Matthews helped MK Dons Ladies secure an impressive win over Lowestoft Town and kept their unbeaten streak alive.
A resilient Lowestoft made it difficult for the in-form Dons, equalising twice before the Dons could establish a lead to hold onto.
Captain Charley Clarke grabbed the first goal of the game but that was quickly cancelled out by Molly Hall’s effort and the score remained level into the halftime break.
Not long into the second half, Vicky Holland capitalised on a scramble at the back to put the Dons 2-1 in front but once again Lowestoft pegged the side back, this time through Hannah Waters.
The Dons, determined to get the win and stay unbeaten for the sixth game in a row, shifted gears thanks to Clarke and Leah Cudone.
Cudone lobbed the keeper to put the Dons in front, with Clarke grabbing her second of the game shortly after to make the Dons more comfortable.
The Dons then remained on top for the rest of game, with Cudone grabbing a unique goal before Matthews rounded off a good day for her team, turning in one of Leanna Doyle’s free-kicks.
The Dons started the game confidently, knocking the ball around patiently before grabbing a breakthrough from a well worked corner.
Clarke powerfully volleyed home the corner, after she was found in space in the box, to make it 1-0.
However, Hall made sure her team were not behind for long, pouncing on an opportunity and leaving Savannah Smith with no chance of stopping it.
The two teams then battled it out for control, with both struggling to make the chance that would put them in front before the halftime break.
Moments after the second half started, a goal mouth scramble saw Holland take the opportunity to restore the Dons’ the lead as she forced the ball across the line amongst the panic of others.
Despite holding onto the lead for longer than before, the Dons couldn’t stop Waters from breaching their defence and firing home the ball to make it all square once again.
A moment of brilliance from Cudone then followed, as she lobbed the keeper from 35 yards out to put the Dons 3-2 ahead with over 30 minutes still to play.
Lowestoft, despite the efforts could not grab an equaliser this time around, as Clarke followed up Cudone’s brilliance by heading home the ball after it was whipped into the box to give the Dons a two goal cushion.
Cudone followed up her first goal with an equally spectacular if not unique second goal. Without leaving the ground, Cudone attempted a non-aerial version of an overhead kick, which worked, fooling the keeper. This made the score 5-2 in favour of the Dons.
Lowestoft continued to attempt a comeback, which forced the Dons to defend admirably, and caused a battle for possession in the middle of the pitch.
Matthews was then subbed on for Rebecca Vass to make her debut with 15 minutes left to play.
Matthews made her 15 minutes count, grabbing a goal to round off a dominant and clinical second half performance by the Dons.
Matthews ran towards the far post of the goal once Doyle had played in an inch-perfect freekick from deep into the box, and Matthews easily tapped it passed the Lowestoft keeper.
This victory not only saw the Dons remain unbeaten, having not lost one of their last six games, but also moved them to within one point of second place, AFC Wimbledon, with a game in hand.
Starting XI: Smith, Doyle, Gillings, Holland, Howes (Newman 60), Naylor, McDonnell, Clarke (c) , Newsome, Cudone, Vass (Matthews 75)
Goals: Clarke (25, 64), Holland (53), Cudone (58, 71), Matthews (86)
Attendance: 52
Captain Charley Clarke grabbed the first goal of the game but that was quickly cancelled out by Molly Hall’s effort and the score remained level into the halftime break.
Not long into the second half, Vicky Holland capitalised on a scramble at the back to put the Dons 2-1 in front but once again Lowestoft pegged the side back, this time through Hannah Waters.
The Dons, determined to get the win and stay unbeaten for the sixth game in a row, shifted gears thanks to Clarke and Leah Cudone.
Cudone lobbed the keeper to put the Dons in front, with Clarke grabbing her second of the game shortly after to make the Dons more comfortable.
The Dons then remained on top for the rest of game, with Cudone grabbing a unique goal before Matthews rounded off a good day for her team, turning in one of Leanna Doyle’s free-kicks.
The Dons started the game confidently, knocking the ball around patiently before grabbing a breakthrough from a well worked corner.
Clarke powerfully volleyed home the corner, after she was found in space in the box, to make it 1-0.
However, Hall made sure her team were not behind for long, pouncing on an opportunity and leaving Savannah Smith with no chance of stopping it.
The two teams then battled it out for control, with both struggling to make the chance that would put them in front before the halftime break.
Moments after the second half started, a goal mouth scramble saw Holland take the opportunity to restore the Dons’ the lead as she forced the ball across the line amongst the panic of others.
Despite holding onto the lead for longer than before, the Dons couldn’t stop Waters from breaching their defence and firing home the ball to make it all square once again.
A moment of brilliance from Cudone then followed, as she lobbed the keeper from 35 yards out to put the Dons 3-2 ahead with over 30 minutes still to play.
Lowestoft, despite the efforts could not grab an equaliser this time around, as Clarke followed up Cudone’s brilliance by heading home the ball after it was whipped into the box to give the Dons a two goal cushion.
Cudone followed up her first goal with an equally spectacular if not unique second goal. Without leaving the ground, Cudone attempted a non-aerial version of an overhead kick, which worked, fooling the keeper. This made the score 5-2 in favour of the Dons.
Lowestoft continued to attempt a comeback, which forced the Dons to defend admirably, and caused a battle for possession in the middle of the pitch.
Matthews was then subbed on for Rebecca Vass to make her debut with 15 minutes left to play.
Matthews made her 15 minutes count, grabbing a goal to round off a dominant and clinical second half performance by the Dons.
Matthews ran towards the far post of the goal once Doyle had played in an inch-perfect freekick from deep into the box, and Matthews easily tapped it passed the Lowestoft keeper.
This victory not only saw the Dons remain unbeaten, having not lost one of their last six games, but also moved them to within one point of second place, AFC Wimbledon, with a game in hand.
Starting XI: Smith, Doyle, Gillings, Holland, Howes (Newman 60), Naylor, McDonnell, Clarke (c) , Newsome, Cudone, Vass (Matthews 75)
Goals: Clarke (25, 64), Holland (53), Cudone (58, 71), Matthews (86)
Attendance: 52
