MK Dons Under-18s made it nine wins from 10 as they came from behind to beat Cambridge United 3-1 on Saturday morning.
Although the Dons were trailing at half-time, a Kabongo Tshimanga penalty followed by further strikes from captain Gedeon Okito and Kyran Wiltshire helped the hosts extend their unbeaten run at Woughton on the Green to eight games in all competitions.
With the Dons playing their third home game in the space of just seven days, they made four changes from the side that reached the Youth Alliance Cup fourth round in midweek, as goalkeeper Andrew McCorkell, Joe Steele, Dom Palmiero and Kevin Owusu replaced Tom Wyant, Jack Hadden, Adam Hunt and Giorgio Rasulo, latter due to his involvement with the first team.
The home side started on the front foot and had a great chance to take the lead on 25 minutes after good play down the right saw the ball crossed into Tshimanga. His initial close range effort was blocked by the Cambridge keeper and although the ball came back out to the Dons number nine, he was adjudged to have handled the ball before finding the back of the net.
The hosts were looking lively, with Tshimanga a constant threat, but it was the side from Cambridgeshire that took the lead against the run of play on 37 minutes, after their number nine ran unchallenged into the box before finishing low into the net.
Despite creating more chances, the Dons went in at half-time behind, however the game turned in their favour after Cambridge had a player sent off just before the hour mark, following a verbal altercation with the referee and the guilty party.
Before Cambridge could even adjust to the dismissal, the Dons were awarded a penalty and Tshimanga stepped up to slot home low to the keeper’s left to level things up.
The hosts’ domination continued and they made it count on the scoreboard on 66 minutes when a ball across the box from Wiltshire was helped on by Tshimanga to captain Okito, who tapped in at the far post to make it 2-1 to the Dons.
Ten-man Cambridge did still provide a threat in the second half and Dons keeper McCorkell had to be at his best on 74 minutes to tip a goal-bound shot wide.
The Dons, though, made the game safe with nine minutes to go courtesy of an impressive individual goal from Wiltshire. The midfielder ran at the tiring Cambridge back-line and beat a couple of players before hitting a firm shot past the keeper to make it 3-1.
The home side could have scored more with Owusu, who looked lively during the second half, hitting a shot just over with a minute to go although by this time the Dons latest victory was already secured.
After the match Director of Youth Mike Dove said: “We weren’t happy at half-time. It was disappointing because we were just happy having possession of the ball and we weren’t ruthless enough in the final third. I told the players at half-time they needed to improve their attitude and application and we started the second half well.
“The whole game changed with the sending off and then the penalty just after that. Sometimes playing against ten men is not easy but I thought that we spread play well and tried to stretch the game.
“Overall, it was another good result but from a development point of view we need to be more consistent. However, although there was some disappointment, we still won 3-1."
Starting XI (3-4-1-2): McCorkell; Daffern, Tingey, Steele (Brittain 90); Vaughan, Palmiero (Hadden 74), Wiltshire, Okito (c); Tilney; Owusu, Tshimanga
Unused subs: Hunt
Goals: Tshimanga 60 (pen), Okito 66, Wiltshire 81
With the Dons playing their third home game in the space of just seven days, they made four changes from the side that reached the Youth Alliance Cup fourth round in midweek, as goalkeeper Andrew McCorkell, Joe Steele, Dom Palmiero and Kevin Owusu replaced Tom Wyant, Jack Hadden, Adam Hunt and Giorgio Rasulo, latter due to his involvement with the first team.
The home side started on the front foot and had a great chance to take the lead on 25 minutes after good play down the right saw the ball crossed into Tshimanga. His initial close range effort was blocked by the Cambridge keeper and although the ball came back out to the Dons number nine, he was adjudged to have handled the ball before finding the back of the net.
The hosts were looking lively, with Tshimanga a constant threat, but it was the side from Cambridgeshire that took the lead against the run of play on 37 minutes, after their number nine ran unchallenged into the box before finishing low into the net.
Despite creating more chances, the Dons went in at half-time behind, however the game turned in their favour after Cambridge had a player sent off just before the hour mark, following a verbal altercation with the referee and the guilty party.
Before Cambridge could even adjust to the dismissal, the Dons were awarded a penalty and Tshimanga stepped up to slot home low to the keeper’s left to level things up.
The hosts’ domination continued and they made it count on the scoreboard on 66 minutes when a ball across the box from Wiltshire was helped on by Tshimanga to captain Okito, who tapped in at the far post to make it 2-1 to the Dons.
Ten-man Cambridge did still provide a threat in the second half and Dons keeper McCorkell had to be at his best on 74 minutes to tip a goal-bound shot wide.
The Dons, though, made the game safe with nine minutes to go courtesy of an impressive individual goal from Wiltshire. The midfielder ran at the tiring Cambridge back-line and beat a couple of players before hitting a firm shot past the keeper to make it 3-1.
The home side could have scored more with Owusu, who looked lively during the second half, hitting a shot just over with a minute to go although by this time the Dons latest victory was already secured.
After the match Director of Youth Mike Dove said: “We weren’t happy at half-time. It was disappointing because we were just happy having possession of the ball and we weren’t ruthless enough in the final third. I told the players at half-time they needed to improve their attitude and application and we started the second half well.
“The whole game changed with the sending off and then the penalty just after that. Sometimes playing against ten men is not easy but I thought that we spread play well and tried to stretch the game.
“Overall, it was another good result but from a development point of view we need to be more consistent. However, although there was some disappointment, we still won 3-1."
Starting XI (3-4-1-2): McCorkell; Daffern, Tingey, Steele (Brittain 90); Vaughan, Palmiero (Hadden 74), Wiltshire, Okito (c); Tilney; Owusu, Tshimanga
Unused subs: Hunt
Goals: Tshimanga 60 (pen), Okito 66, Wiltshire 81
