Report: Dons 2-0 QPR
The Dons picked up an important three points thanks to a 2-0 win over Queens Park Rangers at stadiummk.
Skipper Dean Lewington opened the scoring with a fine strike at the start of the second half and Ben Reeves sealed the success with a penalty in injury-time.
David Martin and Alex Revell were two of four who returned to the starting XI for the fixture with the R’s, but Joe Walsh missed out due to a hamstring injury.
The game started evenly however it was QPR who had the first chance of the afternoon – fortunately for the Dons, though, Nedum Onouha wasn’t able to get enough on his effort from close-range.
Martin showed safe hands on eight minutes, comfortably gathering Abdenasser El Khayati’s 20-yard effort under pressure from the lurking Conor Washington.
Looking to add to his two goals in his last two outings, Revell started brightly and was aiming to link up the three behind him – Jonny Williams, Dean Bowditch and Josh Murphy.
Openings were hard to come by with the next one not arriving until the 22nd minute when Massimo Luongo fired wide from 20 yards for the visitors.
Good play from Baldock and Murphy presented a shooting chance for Darren Potter on 35 minutes but he fired over from the edge of the area.
A fantastic flick-on from Revell almost picked out Murphy with five minutes of the first half remaining while, at the other end, El Khayati curled an effort just past the post.
Antony Kay directed a header from Bowditch’s corner narrowly over the bar on the stroke of half-time as the Dons ended the first 45 stronger.
The men from MK1 started the second half on the front foot – Revell saw a header cleared off the line before he was unable to get a touch to Murphy’s cross. So close to 1-0 on two occasions.
Their early pressure in the opening exchanges of the second period was rewarded on 49 minutes when captain Dean Lewington latched on to Bowditch’s pass and fired a fine strike into the far corner past Alex Smithies.
Karl Robinson’s men were looking comfortable as the game ticked past 65 minutes, limiting QPR to next to nothing while also trying to extend their lead.
Shortly afterwards, Revell saw a shot deflect wide before Williams shot straight down the throat of Smithies from Baldock’s cut-back.
Samir Carruthers, just on as a substitute, almost created number two with a fantastic cross on 77 minutes but Murphy was brilliantly denied at the back post by James Perch.
At the other end, goalscorer Lewington was on hand to deny a certain equaliser when he threw his body at Perch’s close-range effort with 10 minutes remaining.
The Dons were given a golden opportunity to make it 2-0 from the spot on 86 minutes when Murphy was upended in the box by Paul Konchesky but, after picking himself up, the Norwich City loanee saw his penalty saved by Smithies.
Robinson’s men were awarded another penalty in the first minute of injury-time when substitute Rob Hall was tripped by Karl Henry. Fellow substitute Ben Reeves stepped up and made no mistake, smashing the ball past Smithies to seal the points.
Starting XI: Martin; Baldock, McFadzean, Kay, Lewington (c); Potter, Forster-Caskey (Reeves 89); Murphy (Hall 86), Williams (Carruthers 75), Bowditch; Revell.
Unused subs: Cropper, Spence, Powell, Maynard.
Bookings: Murphy, Carruthers.
Goals: Lewington (49), Reeves (90+3).
Attendance: 14,796 (3,664 QPR fans).
Skipper Dean Lewington opened the scoring with a fine strike at the start of the second half and Ben Reeves sealed the success with a penalty in injury-time.
David Martin and Alex Revell were two of four who returned to the starting XI for the fixture with the R’s, but Joe Walsh missed out due to a hamstring injury.
The game started evenly however it was QPR who had the first chance of the afternoon – fortunately for the Dons, though, Nedum Onouha wasn’t able to get enough on his effort from close-range.
Martin showed safe hands on eight minutes, comfortably gathering Abdenasser El Khayati’s 20-yard effort under pressure from the lurking Conor Washington.
Looking to add to his two goals in his last two outings, Revell started brightly and was aiming to link up the three behind him – Jonny Williams, Dean Bowditch and Josh Murphy.
Openings were hard to come by with the next one not arriving until the 22nd minute when Massimo Luongo fired wide from 20 yards for the visitors.
Good play from Baldock and Murphy presented a shooting chance for Darren Potter on 35 minutes but he fired over from the edge of the area.
A fantastic flick-on from Revell almost picked out Murphy with five minutes of the first half remaining while, at the other end, El Khayati curled an effort just past the post.
Antony Kay directed a header from Bowditch’s corner narrowly over the bar on the stroke of half-time as the Dons ended the first 45 stronger.
The men from MK1 started the second half on the front foot – Revell saw a header cleared off the line before he was unable to get a touch to Murphy’s cross. So close to 1-0 on two occasions.
Their early pressure in the opening exchanges of the second period was rewarded on 49 minutes when captain Dean Lewington latched on to Bowditch’s pass and fired a fine strike into the far corner past Alex Smithies.
Karl Robinson’s men were looking comfortable as the game ticked past 65 minutes, limiting QPR to next to nothing while also trying to extend their lead.
Shortly afterwards, Revell saw a shot deflect wide before Williams shot straight down the throat of Smithies from Baldock’s cut-back.
Samir Carruthers, just on as a substitute, almost created number two with a fantastic cross on 77 minutes but Murphy was brilliantly denied at the back post by James Perch.
At the other end, goalscorer Lewington was on hand to deny a certain equaliser when he threw his body at Perch’s close-range effort with 10 minutes remaining.
The Dons were given a golden opportunity to make it 2-0 from the spot on 86 minutes when Murphy was upended in the box by Paul Konchesky but, after picking himself up, the Norwich City loanee saw his penalty saved by Smithies.
Robinson’s men were awarded another penalty in the first minute of injury-time when substitute Rob Hall was tripped by Karl Henry. Fellow substitute Ben Reeves stepped up and made no mistake, smashing the ball past Smithies to seal the points.
Starting XI: Martin; Baldock, McFadzean, Kay, Lewington (c); Potter, Forster-Caskey (Reeves 89); Murphy (Hall 86), Williams (Carruthers 75), Bowditch; Revell.
Unused subs: Cropper, Spence, Powell, Maynard.
Bookings: Murphy, Carruthers.
Goals: Lewington (49), Reeves (90+3).
Attendance: 14,796 (3,664 QPR fans).
