Milton Keynes Dons

pitch was playable, it took both sides a while to get into their stride while adjusting to the tricky playing surface.mkstadiumAlthough a pitch inspection ruled that the

And this showed in the opening ten minutes with chances few and far between. The closest the Dons came was when Lee Hodson burst into the box to collect a Stephen Gleeson through-ball, but his driven cross was just too far in front of Izale McLeod.

Oldham’s only real chances in the first half an hour came when James Dayton’s cross found Gary Harkins, who volleyed into the ground and the ball bounced well wide of David Martin’s goal and when Genseric Kusunga, under pressure from Dean Lewington, headed wide from a corner.

Hodson then did extremely well to deny Jon Stead giving Oldham the lead as he blocked the attacker’s goal bound effort after he had dribbled round Martin.

Oldham’s spell pressure finally told on 37 minutes from a widely contested Oldham free-kick when Adam Lockwood headed the Latics in front after the ball was knocked back into the penalty area by Harkins.

Stead then could have doubled their lead within minutes as he turned Lewington, but Martin was equal to his low shot.

Down the other end, the ball fell to McLeod who was bundled over in the box, but the referee ignored protests from players, staff and the fans, before Samir Carruthers fired a long range effort wide.

Daniel Powell later fired inches wide of the post as half-time approached and the home side looked to draw level.

The second half started much quicker, as the Dons pushed for an equaliser, but Carruthers could only drag his shot wide from Ben Reeves’ free-kick. 

Eventually, the equaliser did come courtesy of Carruthers, who brilliantly beat four Oldham defenders on 49 minutes before slotting the ball into the corner of the net.

The Latics, though, could have restored their lead soon after when a poor header from Jordan Spence allowed Gary Harkins in on goal, but he curled his effort wide of Martin’s goal.

Philliskirk then fired well wide before Dayton couldn’t capitalise on a poor clearance and saw his shot fly over the bar. At the other end, Reeves came close to giving the Dons the lead when he caught the ball sweetly, but it smashed a shot off of the post and Daniel Powell couldn’t connect well with the rebound.

Reeves had another chance moments later as he fired off target from the edge of the penalty area.

The game took a huge swing in the Dons’ favour on 66 minutes when Kusunga, who had been booked early on for dragging down Powell, was shown his marching orders for tripping Stephen Gleeson as the midfielder burst down the wing.

McLeod almost made the right-back pay before he’d even made his way back to the dressing room when he collected Gleeson’s chipped pass brilliant on his chest but he couldn’t keep his half-volley on target.

Kay later tried a speculative effort from distance and it wasn’t too far off, as it whistled past the crossbar.

It was all Dons as the game drew to a climax and McLeod headed wide from Gleeson’s corner before Carruthers’ whipped cross almost found its way to the forward’s feet, but goalkeeper Mark Oxley gathered.

The Dons continued pushing for a winner as Gleeson pulled an effort just wide before curling wide of the left post after being played in by substitute Dele Alli. Then, Oxley got down well to produce a fine save and deny Reeves’ low drive.

Finally, in stoppage time, the men from MK1 were rewarded for their second half dominance when Oxley parried Carruthers’ effort and Reeves was on hand to tap in and secure a vital win for the Dons