Report: Dons 1-4 Brentford
The Dons’ stay in the Sky Bet Championship has come to an end after they were beaten by Brentford.
Karl Robinson’s men needed to win and hoped results elsewhere went in their favour if they were to remain in the second tier.
The afternoon got off to a great start when Nicky Maynard scored within six minutes, but the Bees hit back almost immediately and then went ahead at the beginning of the second period.
Alex Revell and Josh Murphy went close for the Dons as they looked for a way back into the game, but unfortunately their fate was sealed courtesy of two goals in the final 10 minutes.
George Baldock and Jake Forster-Caskey returned to the starting XI after injury while Cody Cropper was back in goal after serving his suspension. Meanwhile, Josh Murphy and Nicky Maynard also began the must-win fixture.
The Dons got off to the best possible start, going ahead as early as the sixth minute when Josh Murphy nutmegged Maxime Colin and then crossed for Nicky Maynard, who fired home from close range.
However, the lead didn’t last long with the Bees equalising in style just three minutes later through Sergi Canos, who curled an unstoppable effort into the top corner from 25 yards.
Robinson’s men went close to regaining the lead on 15 minutes in an almost carbon copy of the opener – Murphy got to the byline and crossed but, unfortunately this time, Maynard was denied at point-blank range by David Button.
Maynard’s perseverance created another chance for the Dons five minutes later, the striker winning the ball back which eventually found Jonny Williams but his shot was deflected wide from 20 yards.
At the other end, Cropper was unable to hold Konstantin Kerschbaumer’s effort but Joe Walsh was on hand to deny Lasse Vibe tapping home from close range with a fine challenge.
Brentford were enjoying a good spell and threatened with a cross and a free-kick but Cropper was able to gather the second half comfortably after an initial scare.
However, it was the Dons who came the closest to scoring again on the stroke of half-time when Carl Baker curled a 25-yard free-kick on to the roof of the net.
Injury and illness forced Cropper and Walsh respectively off at half-time – Charlie Burns and Antony Kay were their replacements.
Brentford hit the front on 49 minutes when Lasse Vibe latched on to a long ball over the top, steadied himself and then fired an effort across Burns into the opposite corner.
With two goals to get, Robinson introduced Alex Revell and he was immediately involved, firing Murphy’s cross just past the post on the stretch.
Shortly afterwards, Button comfortably gathered a flicked header from Potter after Forster-Caskey had whipped in a dangerous cross.
The lively Murphy then tested Button after getting in once again down the left but, on the counter, Brentford made it 3-1 when Ryan Woods found the net from 20 yards.
A fortuitous free-kick from Jake Bidwell with just a few minutes remaining made the afternoon even more difficult, but credit to the Dons fans who stood by their side and clapped them off despite the testing circumstances.
Starting XI: Cropper (Burns 46); Baldock, McFadzean, Walsh (Kay 46), Lewington (c); Potter, Forster-Caskey; Baker, Williams (Revell 55), Murphy; Maynard.
Unused subs: Long, Spence, Powell, Bowditch.
Goal: Maynard (6)
Attendance: 11,564.
Karl Robinson’s men needed to win and hoped results elsewhere went in their favour if they were to remain in the second tier.
The afternoon got off to a great start when Nicky Maynard scored within six minutes, but the Bees hit back almost immediately and then went ahead at the beginning of the second period.
Alex Revell and Josh Murphy went close for the Dons as they looked for a way back into the game, but unfortunately their fate was sealed courtesy of two goals in the final 10 minutes.
George Baldock and Jake Forster-Caskey returned to the starting XI after injury while Cody Cropper was back in goal after serving his suspension. Meanwhile, Josh Murphy and Nicky Maynard also began the must-win fixture.
The Dons got off to the best possible start, going ahead as early as the sixth minute when Josh Murphy nutmegged Maxime Colin and then crossed for Nicky Maynard, who fired home from close range.
However, the lead didn’t last long with the Bees equalising in style just three minutes later through Sergi Canos, who curled an unstoppable effort into the top corner from 25 yards.
Robinson’s men went close to regaining the lead on 15 minutes in an almost carbon copy of the opener – Murphy got to the byline and crossed but, unfortunately this time, Maynard was denied at point-blank range by David Button.
Maynard’s perseverance created another chance for the Dons five minutes later, the striker winning the ball back which eventually found Jonny Williams but his shot was deflected wide from 20 yards.
At the other end, Cropper was unable to hold Konstantin Kerschbaumer’s effort but Joe Walsh was on hand to deny Lasse Vibe tapping home from close range with a fine challenge.
Brentford were enjoying a good spell and threatened with a cross and a free-kick but Cropper was able to gather the second half comfortably after an initial scare.
However, it was the Dons who came the closest to scoring again on the stroke of half-time when Carl Baker curled a 25-yard free-kick on to the roof of the net.
Injury and illness forced Cropper and Walsh respectively off at half-time – Charlie Burns and Antony Kay were their replacements.
Brentford hit the front on 49 minutes when Lasse Vibe latched on to a long ball over the top, steadied himself and then fired an effort across Burns into the opposite corner.
With two goals to get, Robinson introduced Alex Revell and he was immediately involved, firing Murphy’s cross just past the post on the stretch.
Shortly afterwards, Button comfortably gathered a flicked header from Potter after Forster-Caskey had whipped in a dangerous cross.
The lively Murphy then tested Button after getting in once again down the left but, on the counter, Brentford made it 3-1 when Ryan Woods found the net from 20 yards.
A fortuitous free-kick from Jake Bidwell with just a few minutes remaining made the afternoon even more difficult, but credit to the Dons fans who stood by their side and clapped them off despite the testing circumstances.
Starting XI: Cropper (Burns 46); Baldock, McFadzean, Walsh (Kay 46), Lewington (c); Potter, Forster-Caskey; Baker, Williams (Revell 55), Murphy; Maynard.
Unused subs: Long, Spence, Powell, Bowditch.
Goal: Maynard (6)
Attendance: 11,564.
