The young Dons prevailed against Bournemouth in a 3-2 victory, which awarded them with a spot in the quarter-finals of the EFL Youth Alliance Cup.
First-Half
John Bitting’s boys started on the front-foot, which ensured that they took control in the early stages of the match.
An over-the-top ball from MK Dons’ back-line reached the path of Tommy Blennerhassett, who brought it down on the edge of the Cherrie’s area. The number nine then played a ball out wide to Phoenix Scholtz on the right-wing.
The referee signalled for half-time and Blennerhasset’s goal was the deciding factor going into the break.
Second-Half
On the 53-minute mark, MK Dons doubled their lead. The home side controlled possession before Charlie Stirland picked out Charlie Waller in the Cherrie’s final-third. Waller then carried the ball into the box, the number three blazed past multiple red shirts before firing off a shot from a tight angle.
The strike was too powerful for the travelling side to stop, and Waller’s effort crashed into the bottom-right corner of the net. This doubled MK Dons’ advantage with 35 minutes left of play.
As the fixture entered the final stages, the Dons grabbed their third and final goal of the game. Another controlled move from the home side saw the ball reach the path of Ed Daffern, who used his pace to break into the opposition’s box from the left-flank.
Daffern then fired a ball across goal which created an assist for Albert Wood, who completed the well-worked move with a tap-in finish.
Although the travelling team managed to grab two late goals in stoppage time, MK Dons created too much of an advantage throughout the game, which resulted in a 3-2 victory for John Bitting’s boys.
This success also rewarded the team with a place in the quarter-finals of the EFL Youth Alliance Cup.
MK Dons: Stacey, Scholtz, Waller, Mann (Daffern 67), Anderson, Stirland, Wood, Bombo, Blennerhassett (Boyce 81), Anker, Adepoju
Goals: Blennerhassett 36 (Scholtz A), Waller 53 (Stirland A), Wood 88 (Daffern A)
