REACTION: CARLISLE UNITED 4 MK DONS 1
Dons manager Karl Robinson apologised to supporters after being sent to the stands during his side's comprehensive defeat at Carlisle.
Robinson suffered his first defeat as boss at Brunton Park as Greg Abbott's men powered to a fourth consecutive win over the men from MK.
Robinson received his marching orders for an angry reaction to Francois Zoko's 42nd-minute opener, which came just minutes after a controversial clash between Ian Harte and Dons striker Jermaine Easter.
James Berrett promptly doubled the advantage in first-half stoppage time, before further goals from Gary Madine and Tom Taiwo took the Cumbrians out of sight.
The Dons had only a fine Peter Leven effort on 64 minutes to show for their lengthy trip to the North West, despite a marked improvement in the final half-hour.
"It wasn't a good day, but I'll take responsibility for it," Robinson told the media after the game. "Maybe I got things wrong, but we'll learn from it and come back stronger.
"I shouldn't have kicked a water bottle and got sent off, especially as they scored in the period when I was sat in the stands. We were comfortable at 0-0, had a chance for Jermaine Easter and Lewie hit the bar.
"The important thing from there was how we responded in the last half-hour and they gritted their teeth and had a go. But it's not good enough for us."
Robbo's dismissal was linked in no small part to the clash between Harte and Easter, which saw the Cumbrians defender go unpunished for an off-the-ball incident that left Easter flat out on the floor.
But the Dons boss said little on the matter, instead vowing that his team would learn from the mistakes that ultimately cost them the game.
He said: "What clash? I might as well go along the same lines as the referee. We must have been the only two people in the ground that didn't see it.
"It's one of those games where you don't take your chances and a few decisions don't go your way, but we've got to accept it.
"It's a learning curve for us, when things aren't going your way you've got to dig in. What I will take from today is that when we lost our shape we looked an average team. Up to now and during pre-season our shape has been fantastic and up to about 40 minutes today they barely got in, so when our shape's right we don't concede as many chances.
"We've got to grow together from this, but I'd like to apologise to the fans who travelled a long way and spent their money - it's just not good enough."
