All the reaction from Stadium MK as Scott Fraser rescues a point against grudging rivals AFC Wimbledon in 1-1 draw.
By Cameron Gillies
Image Credit: Milton Keynes Dons Football Club- Both sides showing their respect in a one-minute silence for former England world cup winner Nobby Stiles before kick-off
After the week Russell Martin and Milton Keynes had endured a comfortable victory against Wigan Athletic, the sense their luck has turned should be regarded a cause for celebration within the group. That victory over Wigan came with a clean sheet for goalkeeper Andrew Fisher, which will not override concerns how they would cope without the dropped Lee Nicholls.
Fisher who carried plenty of confidence into Saturday’s action proved to be Mk’s outstanding performer, ensuring Russell Martin’s men didn’t go away empty handed despite promising start. This was a game of chances, very few chances for the Buckinghamshire side who only managed one shot on target the whole game compared to Wimbledon’s five.
The Dons did begin the match in fine fashion and thought they had put themselves ahead just after one minute when Cameron Jerome picked up a lovely through ball to see himself through on goal in an obvious scoring opportunity which he respectively finished, only to see the linesman with his flag raised for offside.
Despite starting the game with more ambition and threat, it was Wimbledon who punished their bitter rivals to take an early lead through Joe Pigott within 10 minutes. This was the strikers forth goal of the season.
The moment Russell Martin’s side needed to chase the game; AFC looked vulnerable. Three minutes is all it took for Scott Fraser to find his second goal in as many games when striker Cameron Jerome received a Stephan Walker pass deep in Wimbledon’s area before crossing along the face of goal for Fraser to tap into the visitor’s goal from close range.
For MK, this was arguably another performance which saw them dominate in possession, but not the chances their superiority deserved. They were soon left in relief when a powerful header from Pigott was close to putting the visitors back into the lead from a Shane McLoughlin cross.
Stepping up the pace in the second-half, the Dons were having more of the pressure with efforts from Sorinola which saw his effort narrowly roll wide of the visitors far post. Jerome had two late efforts from crosses which were fired over the bar to his despair.
Despite controlling the match in the latter stages of the second-half it was Dons goalkeeper Fisher who was the savior of keeping the scores level and denying AFC’s revenge over their 2-1 loss last season. Pigott’s fizzing shot called Fisher once again into action, which he easily prevented from putting Wimbledon back ahead with just 15 minutes to spare.
Both sides struggled to break the deadlock meaning each team left with a point, this result sees the Dons slip down to 19th place in the league and unbeaten in two ahead of their Tuesday evening trip to fellow rivals Northampton Town.
MK Dons (3-5-2): A Fisher 13- W O’Hara 15, R Keogh 4, D Lewington 3 ©- R Poole 5, L Sorensen 18, J Houghton 24, S Fraser 10, M Sorinola 29- S Walker 11, C Jerome 35.
Subs: L Nicholls 1, G Williams 2, B Gladwin 7, C Morris 9, J Mason 20, D Harvie 21, D Kasumu 8
Goal: S Fraser (14)
Booked: M Sorinola, D Harvie
AFC Wimbledon (3-5-2): C Trueman 1- P Kalambayi 30, T Thomas 6, D Csoka 3- S McLoughlin 19, A Woodyard 4, A Hartigan 8, C Reilly 33, S Seddon 42- J Pigott 39 ©, J Rudoni 12.
Subs: W Nightingale 5, C Alexander 7, O Palmer 9, E Chislett 11, N Tzanev 13, N Guinness-Walker 18, R Longman 29
Goal: J Pigott (10)
Booked: C Reilly, J Pigott
Referee: C Sarginson
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