Russell Martin’s MK Dons ended their long wait for an away league victory on Saturday - much to the delight, and relief, of the boss and his squad.
The Dons came from behind to beat Sunderland 2-1 at the Stadium of Light and secure their first win on the road in league competition for 14 months.
It’s also a triumph that extends his side's unbeaten run to four games and one that has lifted them up to 14th in the Sky Bet League One table.
“I'm so proud of them,” Martin said in his post-match interview with BBC Three Counties Radio.
“We haven't spoken about [the away form] but the players have all got social media and listen to the interviews so, of course, they were aware of it. It frustrated them as much as it did me, so it will be nice not to talk about it anymore.
“And what a place to come and do it and what a way to do it! To come back after the way we started the game – it’s incredible.”
Martin continued: “We dominated the first half and looked the most like scoring early on. They scored against the run of play, which was sloppy from us, but we got back in it really quickly and that was a massive help for us.
“In the second half, we got the goal and that put us in a position that we haven’t been in a lot, especially away from home. It became anxious and tense but that’s understandable when you have something to protect, especially when it hasn't happened enough.
“We weren't quite as fluid on the ball as we have been but what we lacked in that area, the boys gave me everything they had out of possession. They followed their instructions to the letter and the desire to protect the lead was incredible.
“We will get to a point where we can do what we want to for 90 minutes but that will take time. In the meantime, we have to be able to show the other side of our game and if anyone needed convincing of how much we want this, that was the 45 minutes to show it.”
There were several standout performers at the Stadium of Light, including goalkeeper Andrew Fisher, who the supporters voted for as their Man of the Match.
Martin was quick to praise his shot stopper, along with a few more of his key contributors.
“[Andrew] Fisher helped us out a few times and he did that brilliantly,” the manager said. “His best one, with his feet diving the wrong way, and then another when he got across brilliantly.
“I'm delighted with all of them, though. Ben [Gladwin], playing left wing, was outstanding. He's completely knackered because he hasn't played a lot of minutes recently. Matthew Sorinola showed a different side of his game and was incredible.
“When you have someone like Cameron Jerome leading the line, and the likes of Richard Keogh and Dean Lewington at the back – that experience and keeping everyone energised is an incredible boost.”
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Russell Martin's MK Dons will be looking to extend their unbeaten run in Sky Bet League One to five games when they welcome second-placed Hull City to Stadium MK this Saturday.
Due to the Government’s Covid-19 restrictions, the tie will take place behind closed doors but fans will be able to watch the match courtesy of an iFollow MK Dons Video Match Pass.
Season Ticket holders will be able to watch the match for FREE - click HERE for full information!
All other supporters will be able to enjoy the game with an iFollow MK Dons Video Match pass, which will enable you to watch Martin's side in action on your laptop, computer, tablet or mobile device!
To purchase a £10 Video Match Pass, click HERE and select Buy A Video Match Pass. Then simply log in to your iFollow MK Dons account and follow the instructions or register for an account, which can be done for free.
