mkdons.com takes a month-by-month look back at the promotion-winning campaign, starting with August where Paul Tisdale enjoyed an excellent start to life at Stadium MK...
RECAP
Paul Tisdale, appointed MK Dons manager in June following his exit from Exeter City, enjoyed a dream start to life with the Dons, picking up 11 points from an unbeaten five matches in August.
They kick-started the year with a 2-1 win away at Oldham Athletic which preceded a 1-0 victory over Bury in their Stadium MK opener. Draws to Crewe Alexandra and Grimsby Town followed but the Dons were able to end the month with a 1-0 win at home to none other than Tisdale’s former club, Exeter City.
In cup competitions, Tisdale’s men reached the Second Round of the Carabao Cup following an impressive 3-0 win at home to League One side Charlton Athletic at Stadium MK. They were rewarded with a trip to Premier League AFC Bournemouth where they bowed out to a 3-0 loss.
Away from the pitch, the Dons completed three important bits of transfer business in August - signing Baily Cargill and Stuart Moore on permanent deals before recruiting Rhys Healey on loan from Cardiff City later in the month.
SKY BET LEAGUE ONE TABLE
| Pld | W | D | L | Pts | Gd | ||
| 1 | Lincoln City | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 13 | +7 |
| 2 | MK Dons | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 11 | +3 |
| 3 | Exeter City | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 10 | +5 |
| 4 | Carlisle United | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 10 | +1 |
| 5 | Newport County | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 0 |
| 6 | Colchester United | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8 | +7 |
| 7 | Yeovil Town | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8 | +5 |
GAME-BY-GAME
Oldham Athletic 1-2 MK Dons - Sky Bet League Two (Saturday 4th)
MK Dons began the 2018/19 season with 2-1 victory over Oldham Athletic at Boundary Park.
Kieran Agard struck a ninth-minute penalty to put Paul Tisdale’s side ahead before the striker turned provider for Ryan Harley to double the lead.
Oldham responded through Dan Gardner but MK Dons battled through to the final whistle to secure three points, despite losing three players to injury and playing the final few minutes with 10 men as a result.
Starting XI: Nicholls; Brittain, Williams, Moore-Taylor, Lewington (c); Houghton; McGrandles, Harley; Gilbey (Walsh 66); Pawlett (Simpson 15 (Cisse 86)), Agard.
Unused subs: Sietsma, Hancox, Watson, Aneke.
Goals: Agard (pen 9), Harley (22)
Booked: Walsh
Attendance: 4,764 (397 away)
***
MK Dons 1-0 Bury - Sky Bet League Two (Saturday 11th)
MK Dons made it two wins from two to start the 2018/19 season courtesy of a 1-0 win over Bury at Stadium MK.
Substitute Ousseynou Cisse converted from George Williams’ cross in stoppage-time to earn Paul Tisdale’s men all three points in their first home league match of the campaign.
Starting XI: Nicholls; Brittain (Harley 79, Williams, Walsh, Moore-Taylor, Lewington; Houghton, Watson (Cisse 61); Gilbey; Asonganyi (Simpson 67), Agard.
Unused subs: Sietsma, Hancox, Cargill, Jackson.
Goal: Cisse (90+1)
Booked: Brittain
Attendance: 6,867 (349 away)
***
MK Dons 3-0 Charlton Athletic - Carabao Cup Round One (Tuesday 14th)
MK Dons maintained their 100 percent start to the 2018/19 season by comfortably beating Sky Bet League One side Charlton Athletic in Round One of the Carabao Cup.
Dylan Asonganyi scored his first senior goal early in the first half and that was followed by Ryan Watson’s first goal in an MK Dons shirt.
Paul Tisdale’s men then added to their lead in the second half courtesy of an own goal, securing their third consecutive victory and their ninth successive Carabao Cup Round One win.
Starting XI: Nicholls; Brittain (Muirhead 77), Williams, Walsh, Cargill (Jackson 65), Hancox; Houghton (Moore-Taylor 45); Watson, Kasumu; Cisse; Asonganyi.
Unused subs: Sietsma, Nesbitt, Sole, Agard.
Goals: Asonganyi (9), Watson (16), Phillps O.G. (70)
Attendance: 3,052 (342 away)
***
Crewe Alexandra 0-0 MK Dons - Sky Bet League Two (Saturday 18th)
MK Dons were held to a goalless draw at the Alexandra Stadium - a result which maintained their unbeaten start to the 2018/19 season.
Kieran Agard hit the woodwork with MK Dons’ best chance while they also had two penalty appeals turned down in the first half.
Paul Tisdale’s men were forced to see out the final seven minutes of the game with 10 men following a red card to substitute Mathieu Baudry. They did that successfully and headed back to Milton Keynes with a hard-earned point.
Starting XI: Nicholls; Brittain (Baudry 82), Williams, Walsh, Moore-Taylor, Lewington (c); Houghton; Gilbey (D’Ath 82), Watson; Cisse (Asonganyi 68); Agard.
Unused subs: Moore, Hancox, Cargill, Simpson.
Booked: Cisse
Sent off: Baudry (89)
Attendance: 3,505 (455 away)
***
MK Dons 1-1 Grimsby Town - Sky Bet League Two (Tuesday 21st)
MK Dons rallied late against Grimsby Town but weren’t able to secure a come-from-behind win and instead settled for a 1-1 draw at Stadium MK.
The Mariners took the lead in the first half through Jordan Cook’s 34th-minute goal but Paul Tisdale’s men responded in the opening minute of the second half through substitute Robbie Simpson.
Grimsby were reduced to 10 men late in the game which allowed MK Dons to press forward in numbers but they weren’t able to take advantage and therefore had to make do with a point - one which extended their unbeaten start to the season.
Starting XI: Nicholls; Brittain, Williams, Moore-Taylor, Walsh, Lewington (c); Houghton; Gilbey (Cargill 46), Watson (Simpson 46); Cisse; Agard.
Unused subs: Moore, Hancox, Kasumu, D’Ath, Asonganyi.
Goal: Simpson (46)
Booked: Cargill
Attendance: 6,800 (610 away)
***
MK Dons 1-0 Exeter City - Sky Bet League Two (Saturday 25th)
Kieran Agard scored a second-half penalty to earn MK Dons a 1-0 victory over the early-pace setters in Sky Bet League Two, Exeter City.
Agard, who missed an earlier spot-kick from 12-yards, made amends by converting from a later penalty to extend MK Dons’ unbeaten run to six games with their third league victory of the campaign - a result which saw them climb to second in the Sky Bet League Two table.
Starting XI: Nicholls; Williams, Walsh, Cargill; Brittain (D’Ath 87), Houghton, Moore-Taylor, Lewington (c); Gilbey (Cisse 81); Agard, Simpson (Healey 72).
Unused subs: Moore, Hancox, Watson, Nombe.
Goal: Agard (pen 66)
Booked: Agard, D’Ath
Attendance: 7,672 (989 away)
***
AFC Bournemouth 3-0 MK Dons - Carabao Cup Round Two (Tuesday 28th)
Despite facing Premier League opposition, MK Dons could take pride from their performance in a 3-0 defeat to AFC Bournemouth in Round Two of the Carabao Cup.
With over £70 million worth of talent taking to the field, Bournemouth's Premier League quality was displayed in the first half as goals from Lys Mousset and Ryan Fraser set them on the path to victory before Jordan Ibe secured the Cherries passage into Round Three of the Carabao Cup late on.
Starting XI: Nicholls; Williams (Tapp, 62), Jackson, Moore-Taylor, Cargill (Nombe, 62), Lewington (c); Houghton; Watson, Gilbey; Cisse; Healey (Sow, 71).
Unused subs: Moore, Hancox, Kasumu, Agard.
Booked: Lewington.
Attendance: 9,747 (437 away)
STATS
Appearances
Jordan Houghton - 7
Lee Nicholls - 7
George Williams - 7
Jordan Moore-Taylor - 6 (1)
Ousseynou Cisse - 4 (3)
Callum Brittain - 6
Dean Lewington - 6
Alex Gilbey - 6
Joe Walsh - 5 (1)
Kieran Agard - 5
Ryan Watson - 5
Baily Cargill - 3 (1)
Robbie Simpson - 1 (3)
Dylan Asonganyi - 2 (1)
Ryan Harley - 1 (1)
Rhys Healey - 1 (1)
Oran Jackson - 1 (1)
Lawson D’Ath - 0 (2)
Mitch Hancox - 1
David Kasumu - 1
Conor McGrandles - 1
Peter Pawlett - 1
Mathieu Baudry - 0 (1)
Robbie Muirhead - 0 (1)
Sam Nombe - 0 (1)
Osman Sow - 0 (1)
Finn Tapp - 0 (1)
Goals
Kieran Agard - 2
Dylan Asonganyi - 1
Ousseynou Cisse - 1
Ryan Harley - 1
Robbie Simpson - 1
Ryan Watson - 1
