By Alfie Marlborough
Dons are defeated by three goals to one as we returned to League action against Derby County.
The Dons started the better of the two sides and had a massive chance to open the scoring within the first two minutes. Louie Barry played a through ball to Grigg who was one-on-one with Joe Wildsmith but fired straight at the keeper. Barry’s rebound was poor and caused no problems for the County defence. The Number Nine should have scored and will not want to watch that one back.
The Dons looked promising on the ball and were the more dominant side in the opening stages of the game. With that said, there was a few occasions where the Dons players put each other under unnecessary pressure against the Rams’ high-press.
County had the ball in the back of the net just after twenty minutes through a corner but the Linesman’s raised flag prevented the visitors an equaliser. The ball was played shot by Hourihane to Sibley. His cross found Dobbin who’s headed effort went into the back of the net.
Just after the half hour mark and Wildsmith made an outstanding save to deny Bradley Johnson’s header. McEachran’s ball in from a free-kick found the former Ram. The midfielder connected well with the ball but Wildsmith’s slight touch was able to direct the ball away from goal.
The Dons opened the Scoring five minutes from the end of the of the first half through Louie Barry. It started with a Derby Corner which was cleared at the near post. Holland drove forward before finding Louie Barry who had just the keeper to beat. The forward rounded the keeper and slotted the ball into the empty net to give the Dons a lead and his first Dons goal!
Derby came straight back at the Dons and replied in the best way possible moments before the break with an equaliser. Roberts’ towering header from a corner flew past Cumming and sent the away end into Pandemonium.
Half-Time: MKD 1-1 DER
Ten Minutes into the second half and the Rams were ahead. A free-kick found Bradley Johnson whose header backwards was perfect for Collins who stretched out and grabbed the lead for the visitors. Despite the Linesman’s flag and offside appeals, The goal stood.
Tennai Watson provided Grigg with another chance from a low cross but the effort which was heading towards goal was well blocked by Craig Forsyth. Mo Eisa went close to finding an equaliser for the Dons through the corner that followed from McEachran which had found the striker but his looping header went just over.
Ten minutes from time and the Rams finished the game off through Nathaniel Mendez-Laing. Derby hit the Dons on the counter and Mendez-Laing collected a ball inside the box before slotting it past a sliding Lewington and Jamie Cumming.
Darragh Burns tried his luck from range after catching Wildsmith off his line but the Irishman’s shot was far and wide from the target.
Deep into stoppage time, Jules had a header saved from Wildsmith which proved to be the last opportunity for the Dons to get back in the game.
Full-Time: MKD 1-3 DER
6500 Rams went home happy after a strong showing in Milton Keynes. A first defeat in five for the Dons mean they are still sitting in the relegation zone three points off safety.
The difficult games don’t stop as we now have a week to prepare for a trip to Yorkshire and Oakwell to take on an in-form Barnsley.
