Russell Martin was pleased to see Joe Mason get off the mark in last Saturday’s Sky Bet League One clash with Rotherham United.
Mason fired home a first-time right-footed shot 13 minutes into the Stadium MK encounter with Rotherham – his first goal since arriving at the Club in the summer.
Although the striker’s goal wasn’t enough to secure points for Martin’s Dons, the boss was happy to see his number 20 get on the scoresheet.
“I’m pleased for him,” Martin said in his post-match press conference, after the 3-2 defeat to the Millers.
“He was excellent in the first half. He looked sharp, his link-up play was great and he looked really dangerous.
“We didn't do enough to help him [and Jordan Bowery] in the second half because we didn't keep the ball well enough and we couldn't see enough of him.”
While Martin will be hoping Mason can contribute further when his side return to league action next week against Doncaster Rovers, he won’t have Baily Cargill available for selection in South Yorkshire.
The defender was shown a red card for his reaction to some Rotherham United time-wasting and will now serve a three-match suspension, which will start when the Dons visit the Keepmoat Stadium.
“It's frustrating,” Martin commented. “I could see what was coming for Baily. Their lad got in the way and he knows what he's doing.
“He shouldn't do it. It would be easier for me to take if it was for being over-zealous in the challenge, for example, but stuff like that is cheap.
“We've had two sendings off now like that. We lost George last week and now we’ve lost Baily. I love them both as characters and players but it's disappointing.”
In the absence of both George Williams and Baily Cargill, Martin will be hoping to have Jordan Moore-Taylor back in action next weekend - the 25-year-old missed the clash with Rotherham United after failing to recover from the issue which forced him off against Bolton Wanderers the week prior.
“It was a knock-on from [Bolton],” Martin confirmed. “With the nature of the issue, we have to go through the protocol but hopefully he'll be back for the next one.”
