Milton Keynes Dons

It was clear from the opening quarter of the game that this match wasn't going to get near the goals total of the previous week, when the Dons won 8-5 in their opening Youth Alliance Cup game.

It took until the 24th minute for the first clear opening to come for the hosts when Brendan Galloway put a low shot from outside the box a few yards wide following a good run. Three minutes later Giorgio Rasulo produced a similarly smart run; however his shot also failed to hit the target.

Dons keeper Charlie Burns was the first to be tested just before the half-hour mark, as he did well to tip a shot from the Hatters over the bar.

The hosts then worked the Luton keeper for the first time five minutes later as Galloway hit the target this time, only to see his effort tipped over the crossbar.

The Dons then got lucky just before the break when Burns came out and missed the ball. The Luton player went around him with the ball, however Galloway made a last-ditch block allowing Burns to recover and easily gather the tame follow-up.

Mike Dove's side started the second half the stronger and had another great opportunity on 53 minutes when a brilliantly whipped ball in from the right hand side fell to Kelvin Osei-Addo. The forward managed to connect with the ball; however his effort agonisingly dribbled off the post before it was cleared to safety.

The Dons began to get themselves into the ascendancy in the second period however it was proving one of those days. On 55 minutes after nice work down the right, the ball was played infield to right-back Jacob Daffern who had once again got forward, however he shot wide.

A first-time shot from inside the area from Osei-Addo also went wide on 67 minutes as the hosts continued to look the more threatening.

Four minutes later, Galloway who was getting forward regularly, ran into the box however his shot from close range went into the side netting.

Against the run of play, the sucker punch came with six minutes to go when Luton captain Charlie Smith received the ball on the edge of the box and placed a shot into the right corner out of Burns' reach, leaving the Dons to rue what might have been.

After the match Director of Youth Dove said: "It was a different sort of game today. We played against a big, strong team and had a lot of good possession.

"I think we got frustrated because we had good chances and didn't score. At half-time I said it was all about being patient and keeping the belief and that it might take a late goal to win the game.

"It was a shame it went in at the wrong end from our point of view.  You could see they wanted the win after that because they started keeping the ball in the corners.

"We all have different philosophies and ways of playing football but in my opinion that sort of tactic doesn't have a place at this level.

"The positives are that we played well, defended with more solidity and today was a good learning curve for the players."