MK Dons and Peterborough United took a point a-piece from Friday night's the top-of-the-table clash, in front of a record attendance at stadiummk.

First half goals from Dons striker Aaron Wilbraham and Posh winger Chris Whelpdale saw the honours shared in a tense battle watched by 14,521 - a Dons club record gate.

But the Dons passed up the opportunity to snatch three points from their League 2 promotion rivals when substitute Kevin Gallen squandered a glorious chance to win it in stoppage time.

Gallen will be the first to admit that he should have scored - dragging a 10-yard shot agonisingly wide after being set up by Wilbraham - but it would probably have been a touch hard on Posh, who played their part in a typically tight affair.

It leaves things as they were at the top of League 2, with both sides level on points, but the Dons leading on goal difference with a game in hand.

Third-placed Hereford could close the gap on both sides to three points with a win at home against Bury on Saturday while fourth-placed Darlington travel to struggling Chester.

But neither Dons boss Paul Ince nor his Posh counterpart Darren Ferguson will feel their promotion hopes have been too heavily dented going into the second game of the Easter weekend on Monday.

Both sides started in predictably nervy fashion in front of an expectant crowd, the Dons shading the opening stages and just getting into their stride slightly quicker.

Aaron Wilbraham celebrates with Keith Andrews after opening the scoring.

They were rewarded with the opening goal on 12 minutes, Wilbraham's third in two games.

Jemal Johnson robbed the hesitant Chris Westwood on the halfway line before streaking away down the right flank.

His pullback from the byline looked tailor-made for Colin Cameron, but the veteran midfielder unselfishly shifted to the unmarked Wilbraham to his left.

Eight yards out, Wilbraham have Posh 'keeper Joe Lewis perhaps more chance than was necessary but, with the ball in the net, stadiummk erupted.

The perfect start in such an important game, but rather than settling the home team, it seemed to stop Ince's men playing.

George Boyd started to wield some influence for Posh down the left, giving Drissa Diallo a torrid time with his trickery and crossing, but 29-goal hotshot Aaron Mclean looked strangely off the pace.

Boyd hit a shot into the side netting while Mclean continued to toil, but it was Whelpdale who provided the equaliser on 27, as the Dons midfield were caught out.

Mark Wright wrestles with Claude Gnakpa.

Dean Keates found a pocket of space halfway inside the Dons' half far too big for Ince's liking, and had time to deliver a diagonal ball into the box.

Whelpdale stole in behind Mark Wright, making his return from a hamstring injury, and sent a diving header past Willy Gueret from seven yards.

Three-and-a-half thousand Posh supporters went crazy at the other end but they were dealt a blow shortly afterwards.

Having just tried an outrageously-ambitious volley from wide on the right, 18-goal Craig Mackail-Smith dropped to the floor in open play, clearly suffering.

He was replaced by Scott Rendell who, effective as he was, was always struggling to fill the boots of a player who is a notorious handful on his day.

Johnson was denied by Lewis after more good work from Cameron and then fired over from Wilbraham's knockdown, but things tightened up before the break.

Johnson and Lloyd Dyer tried to insert some pace early in the second half but found blue shirts in the way at crucial points and failed to make the space count.

Jamie Day just beats Lloyd Dyer in the air.

Cameron continued to break beyond the strikers in a tireless display, but the absence of the suspended Alan Navarro robbed the game of an all-action Keith Andrews, who had to play the holding role in his team-mate's absence.

Rendell brought Gueret into action with a decent turn and shot just after the hour mark but, on the whole, the Dons defence, led by the imperious Danny Swailes, were frustrating the division's leading scorers - particularly Mclean.

Swailes blocked magnificently from Micah Hyde on the edge of the box after slip by Dyer before Gallen, on for Wright moments before, just failed to tee up Wilbraham after working an opening down the Dons right.

The game had become stretched for the first time but that was stopped by a stretcher on 70 minutes when Diallo collided with Gueret as the Dons 'keeper came to collect a cross.

Diallo had to have a dislocated shoulder popped back into its socket there and then and, despite trying to play on, was eventually replaced by Jude Stirling.

Lewis nearly handed the Dons a winner when he spilled Dyer's tame shot just wide of the post on 74, but the chances were to get better towards the end.

Aaron Wilbraham battles with former Dons team mate Craig Morgan.

Cameron made another charge towards the Peterborough box and, despite being held up on the edge of the area, forced the ball through to Wilbraham to his right.

The big man let the ball run onto his right foot, but slipped as he struck it and watched the ball fly wide from 15 yards.

Posh looked to have taken the point by this stage but, had Gallen taken his chance from Stirling's long throw in the third minutes of injury time, they would have left with nothing.

For the benefit of the stadiummk foundations, it's probably a good thing he didn't, but Ince gave the advertising hoardings a whack with his water bottle anyway.

Three points at Accrington on Monday would make up for it you would think, while Posh are at home to Chester.

Eight games to go and still all to play for.

MK Dons: Gueret, Diallo (Stirling 81), O'Hanlon, Swailes, Lewington, Wright (Gallen 63), Andrews, Cameron (Livermore 80), Dyer, Wilbraham, Johnson.

Subs Not Used: Miles, Abbey.

Booked: Andrews

Goals: Wilbraham (12)

Peterborough United: Lewis, Gnakpa, Morgan, Westwood, Day, Whelpdale, Hyde (Lee 85), Keates, Boyd, Mclean, Mackail-Smith (Rendell 35).

Subs Not Used: McKeown, Blackett, Low.

Booked: Gnakpa, Morgan, Boyd

Goals: Whelpdale (27)

Attendance: 14,521

Referee: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire)