MK Dons showed ominous signs of their best form just a week before the start of the League 1 season with a five-star display at non-league Rushden & Diamonds.

Karl Robinson's promising side blew away Justin Edinburgh's Blue Square Premier outfit with a powerful, classy display at Nene Park, whetting the appetite of a sizeable travelling support ahead of their campaign curtain-raiser at Walsall next Saturday.

First-half goals from Jermaine Easter and Luke Chadwick had the Dons in the box seat by the break, before they truly cut loose in the second period.

Lewis Guy and Sam Baldock doubled the advantage within 10 second-half minutes and substitute Peter Leven completed the rout after Diamonds had seen substitute Ryan Charles sent off for a studs-up challenge on the Scot.

Though no-one, least of all Robinson, will be getting carried away with the scoreline or even a fifth pre-season victory, it was one achieved against a Rushden side that reached the Conference Premier play-offs last season and beat the Dons here a year ago. Edinburgh's men are certainly no mugs.

Jermaine Easter opens the scoring on 14 minutes.

But they were no match for a slick Dons operation that has got stronger as the summer has gone on and still has Tuesday's visit of Premier League Birmingham to fine-tune its preparations for the Banks' Stadium.

Though establishing match fitness will always be at the top of the pre-season priority list, there has been a definite business-like feel about the Dons all summer and it wasn't long before proceedings at Nene Park were manipulated in their favour.

Aaron Wilbraham's sense of responsibility in a midfield role cost Rushden centre-back Curtis Osano a run on goal 10 minutes into the game, but it was about as stretched as the Dons would get in the first half.

Stephen Gleeson slides into a midfield challenge.

The Dons' opening goal on 14 minutes was the product of an Irishman, an Englishman and a Welshman, but it was no laughing matter for the Rushden defence. Baldock was allowed to spin in behind Osano far too easily as Stephen Gleeson, restored to his more-accustomed central midfield role, sliced the back-four apart. Diamonds 'keeper Dale Roberts did enough to stop Baldock skipping round him, but Easter was on hand to stab home from close-range.

The bit between their teeth and looking to turn the screw quickly on their non-league opponents, Dons looked bright and inventive and were nearly two-up on 23 minutes. Chadwick took a quick free-kick from Dean Lewington down the left before his deflected cross was jabbed just over on the volley by Baldock.

The decent-sized travelling support didn't have to wait long for the second though, provided by Easter and scored by Chadwick four minutes later. Rushden seemed to have Easter covered when Guy picked him out in the inside-right channel, but the Welshman powerfully burst through the challenge of two defenders before cutting across the box for Chadwick to drill past Roberts.

Sam Baldock holds off Rushden's Alan Power.

Easter was denied a second of his own by the strong hands of Roberts after Chadwick had tried to repay the favour just after the half-hour but, such was the visitors' comfort, there was barely a need to extend the advantage.

Baldock though, eager to add to his three goals already this pre-season, was never likely to let them off the hook and fired out a warning of intent that Roberts repelled four minutes after half-time.

And Rushden would soon be blown away as the Dons ended the contest with two goals in as many minutes. First Guy, a summer recruit from Championship Doncaster, rounded off a patient attack by neatly tucking away Lewington's chip into the box, before Wilbraham, pushed into attack during the second half, headed a high ball on for Baldock to provide the angled finish.

Aaron Wilbraham excelled both in midfield and attack.

Never a meeting for the faint-hearted, even in pre-season, both sides had shown a competitive edge throughout - Gleeson shown a yellow card for a mild show of petulance on Jamie Stuart in the first half and Alan Power receiving the same punishment for a poor challenge on Mark Carrington in the second.

But Diamonds substitute Ryan Charles overstepped the mark on 63 minutes, lunging in late on Dons replacement Leven and shown a straight red just minutes after his introduction.

The visitors quickly made the extra man count, popping the ball around blue and white shirts with total control, and it soon became a case of how far they could extend the advantage.

Peter Leven sweeps home the Dons' fifth.

Wilbraham, joined by the powerful Jabo Ibehre in attack for the final half-hour, continued to provide headaches for the Rushden defence - dropping deep as a clever playmaker and pulling off defenders to provide an aerial target for his team-mates.

Carrington made full use of that outlet with a driven diagonal ball to the left on 74 minutes, Leven burst unopposed into the box and Wilbraham squared effortlessly for the Scot to make it five.

It should have been six when Leven slipped Ibehre into acres inside the box late-on, but the substitute's curling finish just beat the right-hand upright.

Dons (4-4-2): Searle; Howell, Woodards (Flanagan 82), O'Hanlon, Lewington (Pelé 57); Guy, Gleeson (Carrington 46), Wilbraham, Chadwick (Powell 64); Easter (Leven 49), Baldock (Ibehre 57).

Subs not used: Balanta, Chicksen.

Goals: Easter 14, Chadwick 27, Guy 53, Baldock 55, Leven 74.