Graham Alexander lamented a poor first-half performance at the VBS Community Stadium – one which cost his MK Dons side the opportunity to take all three points from their Sky Bet League Two clash with Sutton United.
=The Dons played out a 1-1 draw with Sutton on Saturday, with Alex Gilbey’s 53rd-minute goal cancelling out Omar Sowunmi’s first-half header.
Reflecting on the result and the performance, Head Coach Alexander said: “We’re disappointed with the point and also disappointed in how we approached the first half - we weren’t good enough in that first half.
“We didn't commit to what we'd done well in the previous game against Oxford (United). I thought we were almost waiting to see how the game panned out and then they got the goal from a set piece, which was always going to be a danger.
“We didn’t change the messages from pre-Oxford to pre-today. We wanted the same things and we showed the stuff, in the build-up, that our game was based on, on Tuesday – the basics that we did well and how we played well after that.
“I thought we got sucked into a game that didn’t suit us and we need to learn from that and be better.”
He continued: “In the second-half we showed more urgency, we passed the ball a little bit better with a purpose and a commitment, and deservedly got back into the game.
“I thought we had spells where we should have took advantage and got another goal but it wasn’t to be.”
Alexander made six changes from the starting XI which suffered defeat to Stockport County in the Dons’ previous league outing, including five who were making their first league starts of the season for the Club - Joe Tomlinson, Ellis Harrison, Jack Payne, Anthony Stewart and Dean Lewington.
The Head Coach, though, wasn’t using lack of game-time as an excuse for the display in the first 45 minutes.
“Those guys haven’t got continuous games under their belts but that’s a side issue for me. We had quite a few players on Tuesday in that boat and we played a really energetic game which we won.
“Maybe the two games in four days was too much but that would be shirking the responsibility for the performance. We have to show humility, understand where we need to be better and make sure we work to make those improvements.
“What we see from Monday to Friday is players who are conscientious, who work hard and pass the ball and run forward and commit. We do it in spells of games but not a full performance. We have to look at that and understand that we’re in League Two for a reason and we have to do a lot of things right to get ourselves out.”
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Graham Alexander's MK Dons return to Stadium MK action on Saturday when they take on Harrogate Town. Kick-off is set for 3pm.
Tickets are on sale now from the Box Office and online, priced from £24 adults, £18 over-65s and under-25s, £6 under-21s and £3 under-14s if bought in advance of matchday, while under-7s can watch from as little as £1.
To book tickets CLICK HERE, visit the Box Office at Stadium MK or call 01908 622933. Tickets will be available to buy right up until kick-off from the Box Office, though prices will increase by £2 on the day of the game.
