MK Dons Under-18s maintained their unbeaten home record in all competitions this season thanks to a 3-0 win against Dagenham & Redbridge at Woughton-on-the-Green on Saturday morning.
The Daggers started the match the brightest and came close on a couple of occasions to opening the scoring during a rather scrappy opening quarter, which was played out in windy and. at times. damp conditions.
The Dons were struggling to create opportunities at the other end, however, they took the lead on 23 minutes with their first real chance of the game.
A through-ball found striker Kevin Owusu, playing further forward in the absence of Kabongo Tshimanga, a late substitute for the first team during the FA Cup win away to Port Vale on the same day.
As the Daggers keeper advanced, Owusu took the ball around him before finishing into the goal from a tight angle on the right hand side to make it 1-0 to the Dons.
Chances remained at a premium although on 32 minutes the Dons could have doubled their lead as a goal-kick from McCorkell found right wing-back Jacob Daffern however, from a central position, he rolled his shot just wide of the right-hand post.
Four minutes later the Dons doubled their lead thanks to an impressive individual effort from central midfielder Wiltshire. After the ball was played to him on the edge of box he ran unchallenged, jinked past two Daggers players inside the box before finishing well past the keeper to make it 2-0.
The Dons remained in control of the game after half-time and had a chance to increase their lead on 64 minutes when Owusu could have scored his second of the game.
Despite being surrounded by a number of red and blue shirts, he managed to get a shot on target however it was blocked before the Daggers managed to scramble the ball away to safety.
The home side put the seal on another impressive victory with a third goal on 66 minutes from a set-piece. After a free-kick was awarded 20 yards out, midfielder Weston stepped up and curled the ball into the centre of the goal and out of the reach of the keeper to make it 3-0.
The Dons were able to see the last quarter of the game out without any fuss and in the process continued their impressive home form to cap off a good week for the Academy, which also saw the U18s reach the second round of the FA Youth Cup with a 5-2 win away at Cambridge United.
After the match, Director of Youth Mike Dove said: “There have been four games in eight days (with u21 fixtures and cup matches) and it has been a tough run for some of the boys.
“The first 20 minutes today were rather scrappy in what were quite windy conditions. We made hard work of it, and they looked threatening.
“We produced a good passage of play on 27 minutes and it was great that Kevin scored the goal. Kyran produced a real positive run for the second as well.
“We got the basics right in the second half and got then the third goal from a good free-kick. Although we were perhaps a bit slow with our defending at times we held on for what I understand was our first clean sheet this season.”
MK Dons (3-4-3): McCorkell; Tingey, Hunt, Okito (capt); Daffern (Steele 72), Weston, Wiltshire, Vaughan; Palmiero (Kioso 81), Owusu, Nombe.
Subs not used: Wyant, Jackson, Osei-Bonsu.
Goals: Owusu 27, Wiltshire 37, Weston 66.