By Ty Jenner
The Dons opened their EFL Trophy campaign with a disappointing defeat at Stadium MK at the hands of Cheltenham Town. Liam Manning fielded a much-changed side from Saturday’s victory at Morecambe, and despite pulling level on the stroke of half time, they could not repeat the task in the second half.
LINEUP – RAVIZOLLI, TUCKER, SMITH, ROBSON (C), OYEGOKE, KAYODE, KEMP, BARRY, ILLUNGA, GYAMFI, JULES.
Attendance: 1,626
MATCH REPORT
7’ – Cheltenham Goal – 0-1 – Penalty to Cheltenham. Norton is brought down after a soft challenge. Alfie May converts from 12 yards.
13’ – Dan Kemp’s freekick whistles inches wide of the right hand upright.
21’ – Tucker heads Smith’s free-kick into the mix. Oyegoke is there but his goal-bound header is blocked!
29’ – Matt Smith has a chance to shoot after a foul in the build-up, but his shot hits a defender and spews away to safety.
36’ – Louie Barry powers his way through midfield and comes to the edge of the box, but his chance is wasted, somehow put wide.
43’ – MK DONS GOAL – 1-1 – Zak Jules connects with Matt Smith’s freekick by nodding his effort past MacDonald to level the game on the stroke of half time.
HALF TIME – MK DONS 1-1 CHELTENHAM
46’ – Nathan Holland and Callum Tripp replace Kayode and Gyamfi for MK Dons.
47’ – Former Don Charlie Brown has an effort balloon over the top – decent chance for the visitors wasted.
55’ – Cheltenham Goal – 1-2 – Charlie Brown converts from 2 yards after a freekick is nodded on at the back post and evades everyone except Brown who puts the visitors back in front.
58’ – Dan Kemp has a decent chance after working his way to the edge of the box, but his shot is deflected wide for a corner.
59’ -The resulting corner is taken quickly by Kemp who crosses into the box, but Barry doesn’t jump to connect at the back post to nod in.
68’ – Cheltenham work the ball out wide to Charlie Brown who spins off the defender and curls an effort just wide of the post.
70’ – Matt Dennis replaces Dan Kemp.
70’ – Matt Dennis evades two challenges and goes to tee up a shot but skews his effort wide. Immediate impact from the bench.
86’ – Cheltenham counter late on as George Lloyd found himself through on goal one on one, but he strikes his effort off the post.
90+3 – Louie Barry has a great chance to level but his effort is straight at MacDonald who slaps away.
FULL TIME – MK DONS 1-2 CHELTENHAM TOWN
Next up for the Dons is a trip down to Devon for the visit to St. James Park, home of Exeter City to try and continue their resurgence in League form.
