Two late Sheffield Wednesday goals saw MK Dons fall to their first defeat in four games at Hillsborough Stadium.

MK Dons led until the 81st minute courtesy of a stunning Scott Twine strike but goals from Lee Gregory and substitute Josh Windass – the latter deep in added time – saw the home side snatch all three points.

It’s a result which drops Liam Manning’s men down to eighth in the Sky Bet League One table ahead of their long trip to Morecambe this weekend.

Team news
MK Dons made one change from Saturday as Hiram Boateng replaced Josh McEachran in midfield.

Harry Darling (suspension) and Charlie Brown (injury) returned and were among the substitutes. Troy Parrott (Covid-19 protocols) and Tennai Watson (illness) remained sidelined with Ethan Robson out injured.

First half
Max Watters got behind the Sheffield Wednesday early on and draw a foul from Liam Palmer, which saw the Owls defender booked. The Dons went close from the resulting free-kick but Peter Kioso couldn’t pounce after Warren O’Hora had kept play alive at the far post.

Twine also found himself behind the home defence on 11 minutes but, chasing a bouncing ball, wasn’t able to get his shot on target – there did appear to be illegal contact by Chey Dunkley too but despite appeals, no penalty was awarded.

Andrew Fisher was forced into his first save shortly after as he dived to his left to parry away Barry Bannan’s 25-yard drive. The MK Dons goalkeeper then denied Dunkley from the resulting corner, tipping over the defender’s goal-bound header.

Sheffield Wednesday kept the pressure on and created an opportunity for Theo Corbeanu, who dragged a volley wide. Moments later, Baldwin got an important head to a through ball which prevented Lee Gregory from racing in on goal.

The Owls did have the ball in the net on 18 minutes but Florian Kamberi’s close-range finish was chalked off because of a foul in the build-up by Dunkley.

MK Dons responded with a quick counter down the right. Watters was released by Twine and was a deflection away from seeing his cross find David Kasumu at the far post. From the resulting corner, Kioso put just wide with a left-footed shot.

The Dons came forward again midway through the first half but, following some excellent skill down the left, Boateng saw his through pass for Watters cut out by Dunkley. At the other end, Kamberi headed just past the post from a left-wing cross.

It was certainly end-to-end stuff in the opening half an hour which continued as the Dons twice threatened with crosses in from the right - both of which cleared away by Dunkley. Watters then had an acrobatic effort save as the hosts failed to clear a corner.

From a corner at the opposite end of the pitch, Fisher kept out a header by Dunkley, who was then denied by the chest of Dean Lewington. Later, Kamberi fired wide as the hosts, once again, threatened from a corner.

Half-Time – Sheffield Wednesday 0-0 MK Dons.

Second half
After a tightly-contested first 45 minutes, Manning’s men made the perfect start to the second half as they broke the deadlock just 90 seconds in – and in some style too.

Picking up possession 25 yards from goal, Twine took a swing at a bouncing ball and leathered his right-footed effort past a helpless Bailey Peacock-Farrell and into the top right-hand corner of the Owls net. A simply stunning goal. 0-1.

Sheffield Wednesday forced two saves out of Fisher as they searched for an instant response – Corbeanu the man, on both occasions, denied by the MK Dons number 1.

On 57 minutes, Fisher claimed a header from Jack Hunt, who later couldn’t convert into an open goal after O’Hora and Fisher had collided inside the area – a huge let off for Manning and his side, who also avoided what could have been a penalty for a desperate challenge by Kasumu on Gregory.

Fisayo Dele-Bashiru was the next Wednesday player to threaten an equaliser but he blazed wide from inside the area on 65 minutes. The Dons were then forced into a sub after Watters limped off – he was replaced by Mo Eisa.

One of Wednesday’s subs, Josh Windass, went close shortly after but saw his shot deflected wide by Baldwin. Kioso then produced a stunning diving header to prevent Dele-Bashiru from connecting with a cross – that led to a corner from which Corbeanu fired straight at Fisher.

Manning went to the bench for a second time with 13 minutes to play as he swapped Baldwin for Darling. His side soon went close to a second but Eisa, after being found by O’Riley, had his goal-bound shot blocked.

Gregory had a glorious opportunity to level the scores in the 81st minute but somehow failed to get a touch to Saido Berahino’s low cross. The striker, though, made amends three minutes later as he wriggled free from a Windass corner and headed in the equaliser. 1-1.

Twine looked to restore MK Dons’ lead with another long-range try but saw this one blocked by an Owls defender. It was the home side, however, who would score the decisive goal through Windass, who broke Dons hearts by rifling through a crowded penalty with two minutes left in added time. 2-1.

MK Dons: Fisher, Lewington, O’Hora, O’Riley, Kasumu, Twine, Baldwin (Darling 77), Boateng (McEachran 85), Harvie, Kioso, Watters (Eisa 72).

Subs: Ravizzoli, Jules, Brown, Ilunga.

Goal: Twine (47)

Booked: Baldwin, Kioso

Sheffield Wednesday: Peacock-Farrell, Palmer, Gregory, Bannan, Byers (Luongo 55), Dele-Bashiru (Berahino 71), Kamberi (Windass 55), Dunkley, Corbeanu, Hunt, Brennan.

Subs: Wildsmith, Brown, Shodipo, Wing.

Goal: Gregory (84), Windass (90+3)

Booked: Palmer

Referee: R Madley