By Luke Payne, Feature Writer
Let’s set the scene. Fourth versus fifth, zero points between the two sides going into the game, both within touching distance of the automatic promotion spots… this was definitely a six pointer. Crewe were the next team to visit Stadium MK and The Dons were in need of a positive result to bounce back from the disappointing defeat to Grimsby in the midweek fixture. An exciting first half saw Mike Williamson’s men take a 3-1 lead going into the break. The second half wasn’t quite as dramatic as the first but despite there being chances for both teams, Dons were able to see out the game. Here’s How I rated the players after the crucial victory over Crewe:
Formation: 5-4-1-/5-2-2-1 (Two holding midfielders and two attacking midfielders)
GK – Michael Kelly – 8.5: Debatably Kelly’s strongest performance to date. He made multiple impressive saves including in a one-on-one scenario and he commanded his box well for the most part. He did drop one cross that Crewe swiftly put in the back of the net but this was only because the opposition player fouled Kelly in the air as he went to challenge for the ball so the goal didn’t count. There was very little he could’ve done about Crewe’s goal as the shot came from a central position at close range and his defence let him down. Kelly’s distribution massively improved from his recent games and the keeper even played a vital part in the second goal, playing a gorgeous low pass to the halfway line picking out Kyran Lofthouse. Two passes later, Matt Dennis was through on goal and he made no mistake with the finish, making it 2-1 after 22 minutes.
RWB – Kyran Lofthouse – 8: His performance went under the radar but sometimes that’s a good thing for a defender. He was solid defensively but also operated as a useful outlet going forwards. He seemed to pick up the habit of running into a more central position when a ball is played forward in the air which gave him opportunities to collect the second balls. Lofthouse also played a part in the second Dons goal, collecting Kelly’s pass and holding off his man until Stephen Wearne made a run, allowing Lofthouse to play the pass and take a defender out of the game in the process. Later in the game, the wingback had a chance to shoot following a corner routine. He hit a half-volley from the edge of the box towards the bottom corner, forcing a good save out of Tom Booth.
RCB – MJ Williams – 7.5: This was one of Williams’ better games at centre-back, though it’s still clearly not a natural position for him. He often took up a more central position when Dons were working the ball down the left but on one occasion he got caught ball-watching. Williams stepped up to play an offside trap but didn’t slot back into position when the trap didn’t work. This then left a huge gap for Ryan Cooney to run into and the opposition wingback ran through on goal. Fortunately, Kelly was on hand to make the save and spared Williams’ blushes. He did make one goal-line clearance following a set piece though it wasn’t a particularly dangerous ball with three Dons players on the line. Williams slotted into midfield when Jack Payne came off and helped to keep the intensity up, contributing to some good presses as well as setting up Alex Gilbey for a shot on goal.
CB – Warren O’Hora – 8: O’Hora was reliable as the last line of defence and he put in countless challenges and headers to prevent Crewe from advancing through the middle. He even started the move for the third goal, heading the ball to Stephen Wearne following a successful Matt Dennis press. It’s worth noting that most of Crewe’s best attacks came down the wings. This is because they were able to avoid facing O’Hora and focus on beating Williams and Daniel Harvie instead. O’Hora looked comfortable passing out from the back, especially with Lewis Bate in front of him.
LCB – Daniel Harvie – 7.5: A difficult one to give a rating to. Harvie was usually in the right place at the right time and he always tried to do the right thing but was sometimes lacking in quality. He had an unfortunate slip for Crewe’s goal, falling to the ground just as the cross came in which gave Elliott Nevitt a free shot on goal that probably would’ve been blocked and cleared otherwise. Nevitt found the bottom corner easily from the middle of the box, making it 1-1 after 19 minutes. Aside from this, Harvie usually did enough defensively to hold off his man. He was one of many players to contribute to the passing move for the first goal which was just one example of the support role he played for Joe Tomlinson, appearing in the opposition half to add an extra passing option without needing to recycle the ball fully. Harvie was mostly comfortable passing out from the back and despite a couple of misplaced passes, he did also set Dons on their way a few times with some decent forward passes.
LWB – Joe Tomlinson – 7.5: Made an instant impact on his return to the side with a low cross into the box following a beautiful passage of play in the opening minutes. It didn’t initially find a Dons player but it caused confusion in Crewe’s backline which was enough for Matt Dennis to pop up and open the scoring before the opposition could clear their lines. Tomlinson was usually in the right position when it came to defending but he was caught out once, misjudging a cross into the box that allowed Ryan Cooney to have a free shot on goal that was fortunately straight at Kelly. In Tomlinson’s defence he did have two men to mark but it didn’t look like he knew the second man was there.
CM – Jack Payne – 8: Not a standout performer but Payne kept things ticking along nicely. He was one of many to contribute for the first goal and he did have an attempt on goal from a free-kick, though his effort was saved by Tom Booth. Payne had a good partnership with Lewis Bate and the pair worked together to find gaps between the lines, though Bate did it more reliably than his partner in crime. He came off after 73 minutes for Cameron Norman. MJ Williams moved into Payne’s position to accommodate this change.
CM – Lewis Bate – 9 (TOP DON): Speaking of crime, it is criminal that Bate is playing in League Two. He has so much composure when under pressure in the defensive third. Somehow he manages to turn away from his man and find just enough space to play the next pass every single time. There’s probably no-one else in the league that can play the role he plays for Dons. He’s also quick to run at the opposition team when there’s a chance to break and he had Crewe running in circles plenty of times with his quick feet. He may not have been heavily involved in any of the goals despite contributing to the first one, but he was the reason Dons were able to play through the thirds as effectively as they did. The only criticism would be that Bate was too slow closing down players in crossing positions at times, a mistake he made for the Crewe goal as well as Ryan Cooney’s effort at the back post in the second half.
RAM – Stephen Wearne – 8: Back to his best in a position much more suited to him. Wearne set up Dons’ second goal, collecting the pass from Lofthouse before darting forward to the edge of the box and finding Matt Dennis’ run to his right. Shortly afterwards Wearne got a goal of his own, heading a ball through down the left for Alex Gilbey. The Dons captain reached the byline before cutting the ball back for Wearne who timed his run well and calmly finished off the chance, making it 3-1 after 25 minutes. Defensively Wearne was a little disappointing at times with a clear reluctance to track back and close down his man, something that was capitalised on for Crewe’s first chance of the game as well as their goal. If Bate wasn’t closing down the man on the ball then Wearne absolutely should’ve been. He put in a good shift but made way for Dan Kemp after 63 minutes.
LAM – Alex Gilbey (C) – 8: Gilbey set-up the first major chance of the game, sending Matt Dennis through on goal with a wonderfully weighted pass. He also heavily contributed to the first goal, initiating the move before appearing again with a fantastic step over the ball, allowing it to run to Payne who quickly found the run of Tomlinson. From there the cross was played and the goal followed swiftly. Gilbey then appeared again for the third goal, dribbling down the left and surging into the box before picking out Wearne with a cutback. He led by example with his drive and his pressing often encouraged Dennis to press more as well, forcing multiple mistakes out of the Crewe keeper. The captain had a couple of chances to get himself a goal in the second half but his efforts were tame and easily saved by Tom Booth. These came after he switched to right attacking midfield to allow Dan Kemp to play on the left. Gilbey did start to tire towards the end but he put in a fantastic shift.
ST – Matt Dennis – 8.5: The man of the moment, awarded man of the match by the sponsors for scoring a brace. Dennis looked sharp from kick-off and it wasn’t long before he had his first chance, running through on goal from Gilbey’s pass. Unfortunately the striker failed to hit the target in a one-on-one scenario and he probably aimed for the wrong corner, trying to aim at his near post when it would’ve been easier to curl the ball around the keeper and go for the far post. However, he wasn’t disheartened and he made up for it by scoring the opener, reacting fastest to a loose ball in the box following a Tomlinson cross. From there he managed to spin and find the back of the net with the goalkeeper already committed, making it 1-0 after just 5 minutes. Dennis then doubled his tally for the day by making a fantastic run on the blindside of his man. Wearne found the striker and Dennis supplied the finish, rifling the ball into the back of the net at the near post. He also had an indirect role for the third goal, closing down the opposition keeper effectively, forcing him to play a long ball directly into the path of O’Hora who started the counter-attack. Dennis ran the channels well and his hold-up play has improved a lot. It was fantastic to see Dennis putting in the yards and though he did tire quickly in the second half, he did enough to win the game in the first 45 minutes. With this being said he did get another chance in the second half and he did well to dance through a couple of Crewe players but he was left with a tight angle to shoot from. He came off after 73 minutes for Ellis Harrison but with his current record against the top sides, expect The Menace to take to the pitch again at Stockport.
SUB (RAM) – Dan Kemp – 7.5: Brought on to bring the energy levels back up and he made a nuisance of himself, relentlessly pressing Crewe. He dribbled at them multiple times and carried the ball well into the final third. Kemp also set up Lofthouse’s chance following a short corner routine. Unfortunately he picked up an injury with the final kick of the game. A Crewe player wiped him out as he tried to carry the ball away from the defensive third and Kemp landed awkwardly on his shoulder. Hopefully it won’t be anything major as he put in a good shift and will be a handy player to have for the final few games of the season.
SUB (ST) – Ellis Harrison – 7: Had a relatively quiet game but carried on where Dennis left off, pressing and making life awkward for the Crewe defence. Harrison did get the ball in a good position once and he held up the play well but the move ended after Gilbey took a heavy touch which allowed Crewe to launch an attack of their own which was ultimately thwarted by a good save from Kelly.
SUB (RCB) – Cameron Norman – 7: Kept things tight at the back. A quiet performance but that’s probably a good thing for a defender looking to see out the game.
TEAM PERFORMANCE – 8: This performance was everything the performance against Grimsby should’ve been. There was urgency, understanding between players and most importantly, variety in the ways that Dons chose to attack the opposition. There were times where playing patiently was the right decision, the first goal being a prime example of that. However, there were also times where it was better to be a bit more direct whilst still using the players’ technical abilities to the team’s advantage, with reference to the second and third goals. It is certainly easier to play ‘The MK Way’ when the opposition are prepared to come out and attack rather than playing with everyone behind the ball, but it still takes a certain amount of quality to create and take as many chances as Mike Williamson’s men did.
Crewe did have more chances than they probably should’ve had and as a whole the team needs to make sure they’re getting the basics right when it comes to defending. Tracking back and closing down are simple things and they’re easy to do so it was a little concerning that Crewe were given so much freedom given the quality they possess. However, it was enough to win the game at the end of the day and that’s what matters most at this stage of the season.
It’s important to keep building on this result now, especially with Stockport away coming up next. If the attacking players can continue in this fashion then there’s certainly a possibility that Dons pull off a result. Matt Dennis might not be quite as prolific as Max Dean but if you give him a lot of chances he’ll score a lot of goals, and what better way to motivate him than to have him fight to keep his place whilst Dean is returning to the match-day squad? The stakes are only getting higher, seven more games to go!
If you’ve read this far then thank you! I’d love to hear your thoughts on the game in the comments below and I hope you enjoyed the read!
