Max Dean and Jack Payne’s first half strikes were enough to see MK Dons extend their Sky Bet League Two unbeaten run to six games.
Mike Williamson made one change from his previous league starting XI as MJ Williams served his one-game suspension from an accumulation of yellow cards gathered. Anthony Stewart made his MK Dons league return as the experienced defender was named amongst the substitutes.
A total of two changes were made to the matchday squad from the Dons’ previous Sky Bet League Two fixture against Grimsby Town at Stadium MK.
FIRST HALF
Forest Green Rovers suffered an early scare as Conor Grant caught Callum Jones’ blindside to nick the ball for the visitor’s number 28. Grant couldn’t advance further as he was brought down in the process and a yellow card was shown to the offender, Jones.
The free-kick was used to deliver a ball into the box, but the Dons failed to see their attempt hit the target as a result.
In response, the opposition made their way to the other end of the field, where Cameron Norman was forced to come across and make a vital clearance. The rovers were awarded with a corner after this defensive action, but Mike Williamson’s Dons were then gifted a foul during the set-piece.
Jack Payne excited the MK crowd with his feint away from experienced forward Troy Deeney. It wasn’t long after Payne won that loose ball, Conor grant gifted himself with a shooting chance after evading his marker. Grant's low drive 16 minutes in fizzed past the post.
21 Minutes into the clash, Max Dean had broken the deadlock for the home side, who had seen most of the action occur in Forest Green’s half thus far. 1-0
Joe Tomlinson found the feet of the young forward with his low pass into the penalty area. From there, Dean took a touch away from his defender which created a tight angle, but that was no problem for the number 18 as he found the bottom far corner of the net with his strike.
MK Dons continued to fluently work the ball around the press of Forest Green Rovers. This saw a near incredible second for the hosts, had it not been for Conor grant’s powerful shot that just missed the mark.
Nine minutes before the interval, Jack Payne doubled the Dons’ lead! Joe Tomlinson, once again, sparked the move as he pulled the ball back for Payne at the second time of asking. The number 11 then remained composed in his approach to hit his effort low and hard as it found its way to the back of the net. 2-0
A dominant first half display from Mike Williamson’s Dons saw them lead by two-goals as the interval.
SECOND HALF
Minutes following the restart, Max Dean bared down on goal to claim what would’ve been his second of the match. However, the sharp defensive instinct of Ryan Inniss allowed him to come across and cover Dean’s path, which denied any chance of an early brace.
Max Dean and Jamie Robson were both booked following an altercation between the pair.
Dean, amongst the action again as he looked to break through one-on-one following a Forest Green corner-kick. The young striker did well to get his initial touch past the final defender, but Troy Deeney raced back to get ahead of the heavy touch and defend accordingly.
The travelling team saw an attacking chance themselves through another counter on-the-back-of a corner set-piece. But multiple Dons bodies sprinted back to deal with any danger that loomed.
Tomlinson was the next Dons player to have an effort at goal, but his headed attempt was punched away by Daniels.
Mike Williamson’s team continued their pressure with 66 minutes on the stopwatch.
The MK Dons Head Coach made his first changes of the match with just under 15 minutes left to play. Dawson Devoy replaced Conor Grant and Matt Dennis came on for Ethan Robson.
Although the away team found more a foothold during the second half of action, MK Dons had been consistent in nullifying each attack that came their way.
MK Dons held their two-goal cushion from the first half right up until the final whistle as they saw their Sky Bet League Two unbeaten run extended to six games.
***
MK Dons: MacGillivray, Norman, Lewington (C), O’Hora, Gilbey, Payne, Tomlinson, Grant (Devoy 76), Robson (Dennis 76), Dean, Harvie
Subs: Kelly, Harrison, Eisa, Smith, Stewart
Goals: Dean 21, Payne 36
Yellow cards: Dean 52, Robson 56, Harvie 89
Forest Green Rovers: Daniels, Inniss, Jenks (Stevens 56), McAllister, McCann, Deeney, Moore-Taylor (C), Robson, Robertson (Welch 85), Jones (Bunker 74), Morton (Omotoye 85)
Subs: Searle, Johnson, Bendle
Goals:
Yellow cards: Jones 2, Robson 52, Inniss 75, Moore-Taylor 89
Referee: Sebastian Stockbridge
Stadium: Stadium MK
Attendance: 6,033 (171)
