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REACTION: STOCKPORT 1 MK DONS 3
Dons manager Paul Ince: "Willy's save was very important, especially considering it wasn't a penalty! I thought he was going to send Danny off as well.
"Some of the chances we missed in the first half were abysmal, you have to put those away and put the game to bed.
"We got the goal at the right time and, after that, I thought we were pretty comfortable."
FULL-TIME: STOCKPORT 1 MK DONS 3
Dons comfortable winners in the end, but it could have been so much different in a cracking game at Edgeley Park.
Trailing to George Donnelly's long-range opener, the Dons were staring down the barrel on 20 minutes when Stockport were awarded a penalty after Danny Woodards' foul on the goalscorer.
But Gueret kept out Donnelly's penalty, Jermaine Easter equalised moments later and the visitors never looked back.
They wasted several good chance to take the lead before the break, but eventually hit the front on 57 minutes when Aaron Wilbraham curled home after a Johnny Mullins mistake.
And young Spurs loanee Andros Townsend made the points safe with 16 minutes to go when he whipped home a third in front of the home supporters.
All the reaction to come on mkdons.com and MK Dons Player.
FULL-TIME: STOCKPORT 1 MK DONS 3
90+4mins - Townsend drives at the Stockport defence again down the left, pushing Mullins back before teeing up Lewington to cross. His delivery is good, but just too high for Morgan, who heads over from seven yards.
90+3mins - Lovely run from Pilkington down the right in the third of four added minutes, escaping both Leven and Stirling before cutting back for Donnelly, who shoots wastefully at Gueret.
89mins - Booking for Pilkington for a late one on Gleeson. The Dons man doesn't look too concerned, gently patting the arm of the Stockport winger as he gets back up, but the referee felt it worthy of a card.
86mins - Morgan within a whisker of a brilliant fourth as he controls Gobern's cross from the right, dances away from Swailes and smashes an angled drive against the right-hand post that Fon Williams didn't even see.
85mins - Stockport look resigned to their fate as a corner comes in from the left, Swailes gets a toe to it and Townsend clears. Perkins brings it forward but his shot from distance is well off target.
81mins - A soft booking for Gobern, who leaves a foot in on his very first tackle and finds himself with a yellow card.
79mins - Changes for both sides as David Poole, who has had a decent game for Stockport, is replaced by James Vincent. Baldock is brought to the dugout to the songs of the visiting fans and he'll be replaced by Lewis Gobern.
77mins - Griffin is unable to show the poise of Townsend as he chops inside the challenge of Howell in the left side of the Dons box, curling over the crossbar when well-placed.
75mins - Easter's work for the afternoon is done, to the jeers of the Stockport supporters, and he makes way for Dean Morgan.
74mins - GOAL! STOCKPORT 1 MK DONS 3 - ANDROS TOWNSEND
That should give the Dons the breathing space they need as Townsend scores his first Dons goal, and a deserved one at that. Easter clips a lovely pass into the path of the on-loan Spurs winger down the right, who drives at the exposed Sadler before cutting inside and rifling into the far top corner from 14 yards. Another terrific finish.
72mins - Substitution for Stockport and we're going to see young winger Danny Pilkington, who will come on to replace Partridge. Pilkington's older brother Anthony scored the winner for Huddersfield in their 1-0 victory over the Dons in December.
70mins - Poor cross from Mullins is cut out by Leven and drilled downfield in search of Easter. The Dons striker runs at Swailes, cuts in off the left flank and doesn't get hold of his 20-yard shot. Attendance of 3,720 with 229 making the trip from Milton Keynes.
67mins - Some treatment required for Donnelly after a bone-shuddering challenge with Leven just outside the Dons box. As fair a tackle as you're likely to see, but the County striker looks winded as much as anything. Players take a well-earned drink.
61mins - Booking for Mullins, who fouls Baldock and is then drawn into some pushing and shoving with the young Dons forward. Bit of frustration from the County captain, who knows he cost his side a few moments ago.
57mins - GOAL! STOCKPORT 1 MK DONS 2 - AARON WILBRAHAM
A finish to savour from Wilbraham as another Stockport player returns to haunt his former club. Mullins criminally concedes possession to the big Dons striker near the edge of the box down the left and Wilbraham cooly chops back inside and curls delightfully inside the far post from 18 yards. A mistake from Mullins, granted. But a finish like that, on a surface like this - picture-book.
56mins - Pulses raise for a moment as Perkins sneaks in behind with the ball looking set to run out down the inside left channel. Gueret comes sliding out to see the ball out of play, Perkins goes down and the referee points for a . . . goal-kick.
51mins - Leven delivers an excellent free-kick into the Stockport area from the right, Wilbraham getting his head to it but Mullins blocking from close-range.
47mins - Dummy from Partridge leaves Baldock in mid-air and the former Dons winger crosses unchallenged from the right. Gueret thinks about coming, then drops back to his line and Griffin heads over from beyond the far post.
46mins - Change for the Dons at half-time and the influential McCracken has had to depart, presumably a problem with the facial injury he suffered last week. He's replaced by Jude Stirling.
4.04pm - SECOND HALF KICKS OFF
Stockport get us back off and running at Edgeley Park. Dons are now attacking the end housing their supporters.
HALF-TIME: STOCKPORT 1 MK DONS 1
An eventful first half to say the least and, having been in real danger of going 2-0 down, the Dons should be leading as they head for the dressing rooms.
Stockport took an 11th-minute lead when debutant George Donnelly looped a long-range shot over Willy Gueret, and should have doubled their advantage nine minutes later when Donnelly was fouled by Danny Woodards in the area.
Gueret superbly turned away the spot-kick and it inspired his team-mates, who immediately raced to the other end and equalised through Jermaine Easter's 17th goal of the season.
Since then the chances have come and gone for the visitors, particularly towards the end of the half, with Sam Baldock, Aaron Wilbraham and Easter all unable to convert.
Easter's was a particularly good chance, thwarted by Owain Fon Williams in a one-on-one, and Dons fans will hope it's not a miss they'll rue.
HALF-TIME: STOCKPORT 1 MK DONS 1
45+2mins - Another fantastic chance passes the Dons by as Leven splits the defence with a wonderful throughball and Easter has kept himself onside. He's one-on-one with Fon Williams with the ball bobbling around his feet, Easter pushes the ball round him to the right but it doesn't run true and Fon Williams is able to block the front-man's goal-bound shot.
43mins - Easter, who is coming in for plenty of stick from the home supporters, goes into the book for a late tackle on Perkins. Tempo has gone right up, but the Dons need to stay in control.
41mins - Another big chance for the visitors as more great work from Townsend, this time down the left, sees the on-loan Spurs winger drive across goal and Fon Williams parry out of his six-yard box. Easter controls the ball under pressure with defenders all around him, but can only slice into the stands from eight yards.
40mins - Half a chance for Baldock as Easter holds off Huntington to release his team mate in the inside left channel, but Mullins slides in superbly to block his shot. Even better chance for Wilbraham as Townsend finds Easter in the right side of the box, but the front-man's cross is just behind his strike partner and hs can only stab it into Fon Williams' hands.
35mins - Booking for Sadler, who stops the Dons restarting quickly after Townsend wins a free-kick on the right. Woodards was booked for the foul that conceded the penalty incidentally.
33mins - McCracken cuts out a ball forward from Poole but the playing surface betrays him and Donnelly is able to take possession. Buoyed by his early success, the County striker lets fly from 25 yards and Gueret is forced to push round the post. Corner headed clear by Gleeson.
29mins - Those few minutes have taken a bit out of Stockport - they should have been 2-0 up and instead their advantage has gone. Easter now has six goals in six games against former clubs this season, today's the latest. An incredible record.
23mins - GOAL! STOCKPORT 1 MK DONS 1 - JERMAINE EASTER
How crucial does that penalty save look now? Dons race straight to the other end and win a corner with Dons fans still chanting Gueret's name. Leven swings it in from the left, Lewington recycles beyond the far post and crosses back into the danger zone, Easter's first header is brilliantly saved by Fon Williams but the striker makes no mistake the second time - smashing into the roof of the net for his 17th goal of the season.
21mins - GUERET SAVES FROM DONNELLY
Dons in danger of being in all sorts of trouble as Townsend's wayward pass allows Poole to send Donnelly scampering into the Dons box down the right. Woodards slides in with an ill-judged challenge and trips to County goalscorer. Some debate as to whether it was inside the box, but the penalty is given and Donnelly steps up, only for Gueret to push onto the crossbar and bundle to safety.
20mins - PENALTY TO STOCKPORT
17mins - Wayward clearance from Swailes goes straight to Baldock, who immediately looks to run at County defenders. Easter goes right but Baldock drives inside and hits a firm left-foot shot that Fon Williams does well to hold onto.
15mins - Good cover work from Gleeson to stop Poole bursting towards the Dons box, after the Stockport man had jabbed the ball beyond Howell down the left. It's been a busy start for Gleeson on his return to Edgeley Park.
11mins - GOAL! STOCKPORT 1 MK DONS 0 - GEORGE DONNELLY
Debut goal for new boy George Donnelly, who only joined County on loan from Plymouth this week. The talented striker's impressive hold-up play allows the Hatters to start an attack down the right and after Partridge has jinked inside Lewington to feed it back to him, the on-loan Pilgrim curls a looping shot from 20 yards that Gueret gets a hand to but can't keep out.
6mins - Dons caught napping from a set piece as McCracken is whistled for a trip on Partridge down the County right. Griffin delivers it and Huntington puts a free header over the bar from seven yards.
3mins - Dons enjoying the better of the territory in the opening few minutes, but Stockport have the first chance as Sadler's ball forward from left-back turns Woodards and Donnelly escapes in behind. The angle is against him down the left of the area, but he fashions a cleanly-struck shot from 12 yards or so that Gueret does well to parry.
3.00pm - KICK-OFF
Dons get the get game underway, playing from left to right as we look at it, in all red with white sleeves and defending the end housing their supporters. Stockport are in all blue.
2.57pm - The teams are out at Edgeley Park, into a surprisingly sunny day in Greater Manchester. A few hundred Dons fans are gathered behind the goal to our left, bathed in that warm February sunshine, and we'll be off and running very shortly.
2.50pm - Can't let the build-up go by without a mention for this Edgeley Park playing surface. In truth, it's never been a billiard table when the Dons have played here before, but today looks as tough as you're likely to find. Barely a blade of grass visible, it's already started churning up during the warm-up and it's safe to say there won't be too much flowing football from either side. Dons, as you would expect, will endeavour to do so, but there is likely to be a battle to win before that.
2.45pm - TEAM NEWS - Two changes for the Dons as Ince goes firmly on the front foot with Jermaine Easter, Sam Baldock and Aaron Wilbraham all in the starting eleven. Luke Howell comes in at right-back with Danny Woodards shifted to the centre in the absence of both Mathias Doumbe and Darren Powell.
Stockport boss Gary Ablett welcomes back newly-appointed captain Johnny Mullins to his defence, but is without Dons loaness Jemal Johnson and Jabo Ibehre. Two familiar faces to Dons supporters will be defender Danny Swailes and winger Richie Partridge, who left stadiummk to join up with the Hatters early last month.
STOCKPORT COUNTY: Owain Fon Williams, Johnny Mullins (c), Richie Partridge, Paul Huntington, Greg Tansey, Adam Griffin, David Poole, Danny Swailes, David Perkins, Mat Sadler, George Donnelly.
SUBS: Paul Turnbull, Paul Gerrard, Danny Pilkington, James Vincent, Sam Barnes, Cameron Darkwah.
MK DONS: Willy Gueret, Dean Lewington (c), David McCracken, Stephen Gleeson, Jermaine Easter, Aaron Wilbraham, Sam Baldock, Danny Woodards, Luke Howell, Peter Leven, Andros Townsend.
SUBS: Jude Stirling, Mark Carrington, Lewis Gobern, Sol Davis, Dean Morgan, Mark Randall, Tom Flanagan.
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Luke Howell comes in at right-back for the Dons. |
2.30pm - MK Dons' pursuit of a place in the League 1 play-offs takes them to Edgeley Park this afternoon as Paul Ince's men take on struggling Stockport County.
After the strains of five games in 14 days, the Dons have had the chance to get a full week of training and preparation in the build-up to today's fixture, which will be rapidly followed by a huge game at Southampton on Tuesday, the second leg of their Johnstone's Paint Trophy Area Final.
But, for now, the focus will be on taking three points from a ground that has been good to the Dons in recent seasons. Paul Ince's League 2 title-winning side memorably secured promotion at Edgeley Park in 2008, while Hatters old boy Aaron Wilbraham scored the winner in a 1-0 victory last season. Another win today, no matter how ugly, will be more than welcome.
Stockport, as most will know, come into the game rooted to the foot of League 1 and looking to arrest a run of 15 league games without a win. Large-scale recruitment in January has left them an entirely different side to that which lost 4-1 at stadiummk on Boxing Day and improvement in recent weeks has been evident, but wins are what the financially-stricken Hatters need, and quickly, to stay in this division.
MK Dons Player has live full-match commentary from 3.00pm, or you can follow the action right here on Clockwatch.
