The ITV cameras were in town to cover the top of the table clash with the international fixtures causing a halt to Championship and a lot of League One games.
StadiumMK was sweltering in the autumn heatwave as thermometers were pushing into the 30s.
The Dons started with Max Dean upfront, making his first league start alongside Leko and just one change from last week’s defeat. Emergency goalkeeper signing Michael Kelly was on a strong bench with four of the transfer window signings, Eisa and Ginger.
Well, with so much promised, very little was delivered in the first thirty minutes. Leko had virtually the only shot of the first half. County had the vast majority of the ball and looked like we did under Russball and considering who their manager is, its no surprise. They didn’t do a lot with it, thankfully.
The big halftime talk was about us not scoring early, the first time this season we’ve failed to score in the first fifteen minutes of a game and what are we going to do without a first half lead, as we are becoming know for being poor in the second half.
The Dons started the second half like they’ve been starting games. Dan Harvie, in the goal scoring form of his life, cracked in a screamer after a really slick move from the MK Way archives.
The leaders fell quiet, and the game opened up the Dons defence looking fragile out wide as yet another side tormented our wingbacks as the centre three covered between them as County looked to level.
After clearing a corner won by heroic body on the line defending from a shot from Cameron. The ball came back in, and Gibeys clearance only found his opposite number, who used his range finder to good effect, driving hard and low past the unsighted MacGillivary to equalise.
There was a lot of chance trading in the remaining minutes with Langstaffs header kept out from point blank range by the Dons keeper, and Harrison missed a chance to make himself an immediate hero as he blazed an injury time shot over the bar.
All in all, a draw was a fair result. The Dons upped their game and went toe to toe with the best footballing side we’re likely to see at StadiumMK this season.
Up next the visit of another County, Stockport.
