Dons again made a miraculous comeback – but this time finished the job off to reach the FA Cup third round for the first time in four seasons.

They made hard of work it but their dramatic 4-3 win sets up a clash against Premier League opposition, something they so badly desired.

Burnley will travel to stadium:mk in the next round, giving the players their moment in the limelight and most importantly Pete Winkelman a chance to boost the club's coffers.

With 23 minutes left on Saturday that looked unlikely though.

Substitute Adam Stansfield had just coolly slotted past Willy Gueret to put Exeter 3-1 to the good, sending fans around stadium:mk into a chorus of moans and groans.

Dons had after all taken the lead and home fans were shocked to see the Grecians score three easy strikes to turn the game on its head.

Fortunately while Dons' defence may be as leaky as a sieve, their attack is looking more dangerous than ever and hit back with three goals of their own in 11 minutes to secure an unlikely win.

Sam Baldock's second of the match was the turning point and restored belief. Then Martin Devaney scored the best header you are ever likely to see to put Dons on level terms, before Jermaine Easter reminded the manager of his talents by heading the winner.

And although the result won't paper over the cracks and the problems still clearly remaining at the back, it was a welcome win in terms of confidence building and stopping the rot after three successive defeats.

Dons hadn't reached this stage of the world's oldest and most popular club competition since January 2006, when Danny Wilson's side lost a breathtaking match away at Southampton.

In an effort to reach the third round Paul Ince restored Peter Leven and Stephen Gleeson to midfield. He also tinkered with the system and played a diamond-shape midfield with Gleeson holding, Leven on the left side, Jason Puncheon on the right, and Luke Chadwick playing in the hole behind the strikers.

And that worked well for the first half as Dons dominated most of the possession, but tended to play a few too many long balls.

Chances were few and far between but they did create one with 10 minutes of the half left. A long ball from Willy Gueret was headed on by Aaron Wilbraham and Baldock nipped in front of Andy Marriott to poke home. But the Grecians started the second period much better and Barry Corr struck a quick-fire brace.

He beat Gueret to Ryan Harley's near post cross to head home his first. Then soon after another cross wasn't dealt with and he fired a shot against the post and over the line, despite the efforts of Danny Woodards.

Those goals startled the Dons' defence, and their vulnerability was shown yet again when a routine ball through the defence was missed by David McCracken, allowing Stansfield the time to coolly place past Gueret and make it 3-1.

Ince's response was to bring on both Easter and Devaney. And in worked.
Easter made an immediate impact as Leven's long throw made its way to him at the back post and he managed to knock the ball on for Baldock who turned home.

Five minutes later a Puncheon corner was headed as far as Devaney on the edge of the box who responded with a bullet header which flew over everyone and into the top corner.

There was only going to be one winner after that as Dons learnt from their mistakes from the 4-3 defeat to Carlisle after being 3-3, and finished the job off.

Devaney – who has just extended his loan spell from Barnsley by another month – darted down the right after good work from Chadwick and stood the ball up perfectly for Easter who duly headed home to win the tie.