A strong defensive display and an excellent individual effort from David Martin earned the Dons a great point away at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Dons surrendered the majority of the chances but were able to keep Wolves at bay throughout the 90 minutes, with goalkeeper Martin producing a number of superb saves en route to keeping his fifth clean-sheet of the season.
Karl Robinson’s men did have opportunities to win it themselves with substitutes Carl Baker and Daniel Powell both going close late in the second half but they will a point - one they deserve for their tireless efforts.
Karl Robinson named the same starting XI that drew 1-1 with Fulham the previous week, with the only change to the match day squad seeing Cristian Benavante replacing an injured Simon Church on the substitutes bench.
Neither side were able to get into an early rhythm although the Dons did have an early scare when Dean Lewington slipped while tracking Kevin McDonald’s cross-field pass to James Henry - the Dons skipper, however, was able to get a head to the ball from the floor.
Wolves were then awarded a free-kick right on the edge of the penalty area on four minutes after Samir Carruthers tripped Jordan Graham but the midfielder’s subsequent cross was headed away by Kyle McFadzean inside his own six-yard box.
A quarter of an hour in the Dons registered their first real effort on goal from a free-kick of their own. Murphy was the man who took the set-piece and his effort went untouched into the side netting.
The hosts then went close through James Henry, who dragged a shot wide of goal from 20-yards out. The same man then got a slight touch to Graham’s excellent low cross but that effort also fell off target.
One man who was kept quiet early on was former Dons loanee Benik Afobe but in the 20th minute he was presented with a great opportunity to put his side ahead. The striker controlled a cross from the right and set himself up for a shot but Martin stood strong and denied his ex-teammate.
Afobe tested the Dons stopper a second time on the half-hour mark, this time with a diving header, but again Martin came up trumps between the sticks. The men from MK1’s number one also got a vital hand to low Jordan Graham cross as the Midlands outfit again threatened from wide.
Minutes before half-time, Afobe tried his luck again from 10-yards after Henry’s ball had made its way to Wolves’ lone striker. He controlled the ball and turned his man well but, fortunately, for the Dons, scooped his effort over the crossbar.
Despite not seeing the majority of the ball, the Dons went into the break level. They did, though, have Martin to thank for keeping the scores equal early in the second half as he produced two excellent saves, the second from point-blank range, to deny Afobe.
Robinson’s men managed to weather the early storm from their hosts and both sides made changes which also broke up Wolves’ flow.
The Dons brought on Carl Baker in place of Josh Murphy and last season’s Player of the Year was straight into the action, playing through Maynard after bringing the ball out of defence - Maynard took his shot early but saved down to his right.
Baker then had a shot of his own minutes later from 25-yards but failed to hit the target. His second effort was much more threatening, however - a fierce effort from distance which, this time, produced a top save out of Wolves’ keeper.
Ikeme’s opposite number, Martin, had produced his fair share of important stops throughout the game and he was forced into another from Williamson’s header on 78 minutes.
Robinson introduced both Daniel Powell and Sam Gallagher late on to provide some fresh legs for the final 10 minutes. The Dons had worked their socks off all afternoon and although they hadn’t had too many chances on goal, they arguably deserved something from the game due to their determination.
They almost took home all three, though, when two minutes into stoppage time Powell fired in a half-volley which almost caught out Ikeme, whose view was blocked by the crowded penalty area.
However, a point it was in the end - a result which saw the men from MK1 climb three places to 19th in the Sky Bet Championship.
Martin; Spence, McFadzean, Kay, Lewington (c); Potter, Poyet; Bowditch (Powell 79), Carruthers, Murphy (Baker 62); Maynard.Starting XI:
Cropper, Hodson, Hall, Benavente, Gallagher.Unused subs:
Baker, Potter, McFadzeanBooked:
19,814Attendance:
Nigel Miller (County Durham)Referee:
