Milton Keynes Dons maintained their chase of third-placed Swindon with an excellent win at Stockport County.

Clive Platt's 18th goal of the season and a second-half Keith Andrews header put them in the driving seat at Edgeley Park before Anthony Pilkington pulled a goal back late on.

The result leaves the Dons still with a mathematical chance of catching Swindon in the final automatic promotion position, but the Robins need only a point from their final two games to send the Dons into the play-offs.

With injuries stretching resources to the limit, Martin Allen voted for some experience on his bench by naming development coach Junior Lewis among the substitutes.

Sean O'Hanlon's absence with a hamstring injury meant Adam Watts kept his place at centre half while captain Andrews was passed fit to start. Ademole Bankole retained the goalkeeper's jersey and Dominic Blizzard lined up in midfield against the side he was on loan at earlier in the season.

The home side were without defender Rob Clare but were able to call upon midfielder Adam Proudlock who shook off a foot injury to start.

On a surface not suited to fluid, passing football, both sides took time to get used to unpredictable bounces - the Dons in particular being the visitors.

First victim of it was Andrews and as the ball escaped his control Ashley Williams played it forward. Proudlock chased it into the box but saw his claims for a penalty waved away as Bankole raced out of goal.

The Dons started to find their feet and when Gary Smith's corner came in from the left, Lloyd Dyer did well to keep it in the mix and Leon Knight's clever back-header was cleared off the line by Adam Griffin.

Knight was causing problems both with the ball at his feet and spinning in behind, and when Watts' brilliant crossfield ball fell into his path, only a slip from the Dons striker allowed Williams to clear.

Having created that attack, Watts showed his value in defence minutes later, when he got himself in the way of Anthony Elding's goal-bound shot after Proudlock's cut-back.

Pilkington saw a well-hit half-volley from 25 yards fly just over Bankole's bar as the Hatters retained the momentum, but just a minute later, Smith superbly created the opener.

The Dons midfielder initially tried to shoot as Dyer's cross from the left came to the far post, but a miscue allowed the ball to spin back into his path. He drove past Griffin to the dead-ball line, cut the ball back and Platt was waiting six yards out to smash it high into Joe Lewis' net.

With the initiative taken, Allen's side set about consolidating it by denying Stockport a moment's peace. The work rate was unbelievable as they forced the Hatters backwards, breaking up their momentum and looking dangerous on the break.

Knight set off on a surging run down the left after a Stockport corner was cleared and, having had his heels clipped by the chasing Griffin, he did well to stay on his feet before his shot was blocked by Williams.

Having ended the half with a dangerous set-piece that Drissa Diallo headed just wide, the Dons continued in the same vain after the break - causing problems from free-kicks and corners. Ironically enough, Watts and Elding reversed roles from the first half, the latter clearing the former's effort off the line after Lewis had lost Smith's free-kick.

At the other end, Pilkington was setting his sights from range again but saw Bankole get well behind it. Elding and Watts' personal duel continued as the Hatters striker sprinted in behind. But the young Fulham loanee recovered superbly to block the shot inside the box and clear the rebound away from Pilkington.

If the pressure was mounting it didn't show as the Dons doubled the lead on 55 minutes through the drive of Andrews and the guile of Knight.

In a carbon-copy of Platt's winner against Darlington last week, Knight drifted left and was allowed to turn and dig out a cross. Andrews was bursting into the box unmarked and couldn't believe his luck as he simply nodded his fifth goal of the season past Lewis from five yards.

That looked to have clinched the points and it nearly got better six minutes later when Smith robbed Griffin in his own penalty area and cut the ball back to Platt again only for his shot to rise over the bar.

Stockport though, refused to lie down and when Greg Tansey smacked a 25-yard free-kick against the crossbar it served as a warning.

Young Tommy Rowe it was who set up a tense finale, coming off the bench having played half of a youth team game in the morning. The youngster drove a cross in from the left that went right through the six yard box and Pilkington, a pest to Dons defenders all afternoon, was waiting to smash high into the net from a tight angle.

Dons came again and substitute Albert Jarrett was denied by a superb save from Lewis having tricked his way in from the left.

Stockport just couldn't build the momentum to put the pressure on as the Dons closed it out, Dinning's toe-punt from distance the closest they came to levelling.