Mark Jackson made one change to the starting lineup after Saturdays 98th minutes surrender of two valuable points. Jonathan Leko replaced Nathan Holland who dropped to the bench and Bradley Johnson was omitted from the squad and in came Sullay Kaikai.
Charlton fresh from six goal mauling at Ipswich were now ambling towards the summer with another League One season guaranteed.
The Dons should have started as the meant to go on, needing points to ensure their own League One survival but it was the visitors who looked far more of a threat when coming forward.
In the only real attack of note in the first 20 minutes Eisa showed his lazy side and was hopelessly caught offside after good work from Leko put him in and that was the start of yet another thoroughly uninspiring night of poor forward play from the Dons.
Charlton had runners and movement and while they had the most going forward with Cumming being the busiest of the keepers by far he was hardly troubled in the first half. A combination of sturdy defending, blocking shots here, good tackles there the Dons goal stood unbreached at half time.
Despite all that’s been said, the best opportunity of the first half fell to Leko whose power and pace unleashed a low drive that stayed out due to a combination of keepers hand and base of post.
HT Dons 0 Charlton 0
The Dons started the second period on the front foot, it looked like Jackson had delivered the required team-talk the Dons fans were hoping for as Jules set off on a run that sure him smash through half the visitors side and cross in for Mo to volley. He didn’t quite hit the sweet spot and the keeper turned it away.
A string of corners for the Dons ensued without any real scoring threat in almost what could be called a flurry of attacking if it was effective. It wasn’t.
On the hour after Cumming’s pulled of a decent save Charlton took the lead through Payne who found the space needed to drive across Cumming into the far corner.
A change on the hour with Kaikai replacing Grant who walked the long way back to the bench infront of the away fans instead of infront of the Cowshed.
Dobson took one for the team as the Dons immediately looked to level the score as he professionally ended Leko’s high-speed mazy run just short of the penalty area and before he could shoot.
Charlton piled on the pressure as the Dons increasingly dropped deeper and found the Charlton goal getting further and further away.
With ten to go the Dons upped the pressure and huffed and puffed and even with another seven minutes of Fergie time again at StadiumMK it was only half chances and scraps for Grigg, Robson and Kaikai.
So the unbeaten run of seven that was looking good ends in defeat and the run now looks like no win in five and more like relegation form again. Saying that results were reasonably kind and its still in our hands.
I still believe many fans know this going to the wire on a Sunday in Burton.
See you by the seaside …all aboard setting sail for Fleetwood next.
