Russell Martin lauded a ‘brilliant’ performance from his MK Dons side, as they made it four straight Sky Bet League One wins with a 1-0 triumph over Doncaster Rovers.
Daniel Harvie’s strike 15 minutes from time saw a dominant Stadium MK display rewarded with three points on Saturday – a result which has lifted Martin’s men into the top half of the Sky Bet League One table.
“It’s four wins in a row and we have to keep going now and rolling on,” Martin said in his post-match press conference.
“We haven't changed anything, we've just been consistent with our approach. You just hope all the hard work pays off and it has in the last four games.
“We've got some momentum, so we'll just continue to work hard together, continue to ask more from each other and hopefully we'll see more of these results before the end of the season.”
On Saturday's display, Martin said: “It was a brilliant performance. I don't take any performance for granted, especially on a tough pitch against a tough team.
“To limit them to one shot was an outstanding effort from the group. Harry made a couple of blocks but they didn't have any real period of pressure - we had control and to get through with the dominance we did was fantastic. We deserved the clean sheet.
“The only frustration is that we didn't score earlier and didn't score more. Their keeper made some great saves and you do start wondering if (a goal) will ever come.
“Overall, it was a really good team performance but we had some outstanding individual performances. All three changes we made, made a difference.
“Danny (Harvie) was brilliant. He looked so comfortable on both sides, inside and outside, and he got a few really good crosses in. He has spent a lot of time with Luke Williams, trying to help us out at the top end of the pitch. The keeper made a great save to put his (first-half) shot onto the post and I'm really pleased (that he went on to score).
“Griggy (Will Grigg) was brilliant and deserved a goal. He's been unfortunate not to play recently because we've had to change shape and Cammy (Jerome) has done so well. His link-up was fantastic with the way he brought others into the game and the way he pressed, and made it predictable for the rest of our team - he's a real team player and a really clever player.
“(Zak Jules) started out with a bit of tension, of course, but he grew into it and got better and better. Long term, it was always the idea to play Zak there but Deano (Lewington) has been one of our best players. At some point, we had to see if Zak was ready and has taken on the information. It was a big call but he was great.”
Saturday’s win moves MK Dons to within three points of the play-off places with eight games left to play in the 2020/21 season but Martin is refusing to look much further than the Easter weekend and two further opportunities to build on their recent good form.
“It’s three points but there a lot of teams above us and a lot of teams just behind us with games in hand,” Martin acknowledged.
“Let's just focus on the next two tough games over Easter. I know it's boring for me to say but it's true! We're looking at Lincoln, and then Crewe, where we'll hope to put in performances which match todays.”
Martin also addressed his decision to substitute Scott Fraser after only 28 minutes, telling the media: “It wasn't tactical.
“He has been one of our best players and we love him but there are certain guidelines to adhere to in terms of performance and behaviour and when they get a bit skewed, I just didn't feel he could carry on.
“We're both young and learning and it won’t affect anything between us. It won't be a big problem but, today, I felt it was the right decision.”
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Russell Martin's MK Dons will look to make it five wins in a row when they take on Lincoln City at the LNER Stadium this Friday afternoon.
Due to the Government’s Covid-19 restrictions, the game will take place behind-closed-doors but MK Dons fans will still be able to watch the action courtesy of iFollow MK Dons.
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.
