The final edition of our season rewind focuses on April, a month where the Dons’ play-off fate was decided.
Monday 1st April: MK Dons 2-0 Brentford – npower League 1
MK Dons kept their play-off hopes alive with a crucial 2-0 victory over automatic promotion hopefuls Brentford at stadiummk.
Karl Robinson’s side took the lead when Bees ‘keeper Simon Moore allowed Dean Bowditch’s 30-yard strike to slip past him on 14 minutes.
Brentford created numerous chances in hope of finding an equaliser, with Marcello Trotta and Bradley Wright-Phillips both wasting golden opportunities.
The Dons, though, sealed the victory five minutes from time through Stephen Gleeson, who rifled home from 20-yards to keep the men from MK1 within reach of the play-offs.
McLoughlin; Otsemobor, Kouo-Doumbe, Williams, Chicksen; Potter, Lines; Bamford (Smith 79), Gleeson (c), Bowditch (Chadwick 62); Lowe (Powell 57).MK Dons (4-2-3-1):
Subs not used: Baldock, Alli, Galloway.
Goals: Bowditch 14, Gleeson 85
Booked: None
Sent off: None
Attendance: 10,445
League position: 11th
Saturday 6th April: MK Dons 0-0 Crawley Town – npower League 1
Striker Ryan Lowe had three goals ruled out for offside as MK Dons' faint play-off hopes took a major blow.
The home side dominated the first half and they saw Lowe hit the net with a header and a tap-in, only for both goals to be ruled out for offside.
Crawley were a threat on the break throughout but striker Billy Clarke twice missed the target when well placed.
Then, late on, Lowe had a third effort disallowed for offside as the Dons were held to another frustrating draw at stadiummk.
MK Dons (4-2-3-1): McLoughlin; Otsemobor, Kouo-Doumbe, Williams, Chicksen; Potter, Gleeson (c); Powell (Chadwick 60), Bamford, Bowditch; Lowe.
Subs not used: Smith, Baldock, Lines, Rasulo.
Goals: None
Booked: Chicksen
Sent off: None
Attendance: 7,746
League position: 10th
Tuesday 9th April: MK Dons 2-0 Swindon Town – npower League 1
MK Dons dented Swindon's promotion push and strengthened their own play-off hopes with a scrappy win at stadiummk.
A first goal of the season for Mathias Kouo-Doumbe and a late Ryan Lowe strike made sure of a third win in four home games as the Dons moved to within four points of the top six.
Two contentious decisions became the main focus in an otherwise uneventful first half with Town goalkeeper Wes Foderingham only receiving a booking for what appeared to be, a handball outside the area and striker Andy Williams having a goal chalked off for an apparent foul on Ian McLoughlin.
Then, after a period of second-half pressure from the hosts, a lofted ball into the area found Doumbe, who headed past Foderingham at the far post to give the Dons the lead.
Swindon pushed for an equaliser but substitute Raffaele De Vita failed to connect with Dean Parrett’s ball in.
The Dons made sure of the win late on when Ryan Lowe cooly converted Dean Bowditch’s cross into the bottom corner.
MK Dons (4-2-3-1): McLoughlin; Otsemobor, Kouo-Doumbe, Williams. Lewington (c); Potter, Gleeson (Lines 48); Bowditch, Chadwick (Lowe 64), Chicksen; Bamford (Smith 78).
Subs not used: McLeod, Powell, Baldock, Kay.
Goals: Kouo-Doumbe 58, Lowe 89
Booked: None
Sent off: None
Attendance: 8,608
League position: 9th
Saturday 13th April: Leyton Orient 2-0 MK Dons – npower League 1
MK Dons’ away struggles continued with a 2-0 defeat at Leyton Orient, a result which dented their aspirations of reaching the play-offs.
Karl Robinson’s side had only won once on their travels in 2013, coming into the game, and their poor run continued courtesy of goals from Lee Sawyer and the experienced Kevin Lisbie.
A game edged by Orient was goalless as it entered the final 10 minutes before full-back Sawyer volleyed in his first goal for the club.
Then, as the Dons pushed for an equaliser, Dean Cox exploited the gaps to release Lisbie, who burst through and slipped the ball past Ian McLoughlin.
MK Dons (4-2-3-1): McLoughlin; Otsemobor (McLeod 83), Kouo-Doumbe, Williams, Lewington (c); Potter, Lines; Bowditch, Bamford, Chicksen (Powell 62); Lowe (Chadwick 61).
Subs not used: Smith, Baldock, Kay.
Goals: None
Booked: None
Sent off: None
Attendance: 4,634 (648 away)
League position: 10th
Tuesday 16th April: Colchester United 0-2 MK Dons – npower League 1
MK Dons kept their League One play-off hopes alive with a comfortable victory at struggling Colchester.
Strikes from Daniel Powell and Patrick Bamford made sure of the victory at Weston Homes Community Stadium as the Dons moved to within four points of sixth-placed Swindon Town.
Powell's cool finish gave the Dons an early lead but Colchester ended the first-half strongly with Freddie Sears's hooked shot hitting the post.
Dons, though, sealed the win when Bamford planted a low show past Sam Walker after Luke Chadwick's defence splitting pass.
MK Dons (4-2-3-1): McLoughlin; Otsemobor, Kouo-Doumbe, Williams, Lewington (c) (Kay 50); Potter, Gleeson; Powell (Lowe 73), Chadwick (Lines 80), Bowditch; Bamford.
Subs not used: Smith, McLeod, Baldock.
Goals: Powell, Bamford
Booked: Williams, Gleeson, Potter
Sent off: None
Attendance: 3,175 (211 away)
League position: 7th
Saturday 20th April: MK Dons 0-1 Scunthorpe United
MK Dons’ play-offs hopes came to an abrupt end with another disappointing home loss, this time to Scunthorpe United.
Karl Robinson’s side had more of the first-half play with the Iron content to sit back and play on the counter attack.
And the visitors scored in exactly that fashion when Karl Hawley poked home Jimmy Ryan's low cross on 41 minutes.
The Dons pressed for an equaliser as they looked to keep their hopes of finishing in the top six alive and they forced goalkeeper Sam Slocombe into a trio of fine saves.
The men from MK1, though, failed to breakdown the stubborn Iron defence and, as a result, another season in League 1 was confirmed.
MK Dons (4-2-3-1): McLoughlin; Otsemobor (Lowe 61), Kouo-Doumbe (Lines 81), Kay, Williams; Potter, Gleeson (c); Powell, Chadwick (McLeod 82), Bowditch; Bamford.
Subs not used: Smith, Baldock, Galloway
Goals: None
Booked: Williams
Sent off: None
Attendance: 9,752
League position: 9th
Saturday 27th April: Stevenage 0-2 MK Dons – npower League 1
MK Dons ended the 2012/13 season in style with a 2-0 victory away at Stevenage.
Goals from Patrick Bamford and Ryan Lowe sealed a top-10 finish in League One as they won on the road for only the seventh time all season.
Chelsea loanee Bamford headed in Shaun Williams' cross from close range to get the Dons off to the best possible start before James Dunne was denied by Ian McLoughlin.
Lowe then rounded keeper Chris Day after dispossessing Mark Roberts to make sure of a final day win for the men from MK1.
MK Dons (4-2-3-1): McLoughlin; Otsemobor, Kouo-Doumbe, Kay, Williams; Potter, Gleeson (c) (Rasulo 79); Powell, Chadwick (Lowe 66), Bowditch; Bamford (Alli 71).
Subs not used: Smith, McLeod Galloway, Lines
Goals: Bamford 33, Lowe 77
Booked: Gleeson, Kay
Sent off: None
Attendance: 8,608 (843 away)
9thLeague position:
