REPORT: MK Dons 2-3 Chesterfield - Humiliating defeat for crumbling Dons

Not even the visit of bottom club Chesterfield could turn MK Dons torrid run around, as they conceded twice in three second half minutes to lose 3-2 at Stadium MK.
MK Dons vs ChesterfieldMK Dons vs Chesterfield
MK Dons vs Chesterfield

Despite having countless chances in front of goal, Dons found themselves behind to a Jay O'Shea penalty on the half hour, very much against the run of play.

Huffing and puffing with no real quality going forwards, Dons incredibly found themselves ahead, first when Daniel Powell bundled an equaliser in, and then Ryan Colclough's deflected effort found it's way in to put Dons 2-1 up with 17 minutes to go.

But a catastrophic collapse saw Dons throw away not only their lead, but their chances of a point as substitutes Kristian Dennis and Dan Gardner fired in two goals in three minutes to hand Chesterfield their first points since October 1, and extend Dons' miserable run at home.

There was only one change to the side which started at Bristol Rovers, and it saw the introduction of Daniel Powell at the expense of Ryan Colclough.

And that change nearly paid dividends within the opening 10 minutes after Powell latched on to Dean Bowditch's touch, but after rounding Ryan Fulton and sending the ball home, his celebrations were cut short by the offside flag.

With Chesterfield coming into the game off the back of eight straight defeats in the league, Dons looked to capitalise but struggled in front of goal. Ben Reeves, Ed Upson, Samir Carruthers and Kieran Agard all had opportunities to test Fulton, but none of them found the target.

The visitors looked every bit the bottom club, setting up to keep Dons out more than setting out their stall to perhaps snatch something at the other end. Their two banks of four were holding Dons at bay, the home side weren't doing enough to make the keeper work though.

And despite barely having the ball, let alone threatening, Chesterfield found themselves in front on the half hour. Catching the home side on the counter, Reece Mitchell raced into the penalty area and was deemed to be downed by keeper David Martin, with referee Gavin Ward immediately pointing to the spot. Former Dons midfielder Jay O'Shea smashed the ball past Martin with ease, giving them the unlikliest of leads.

As the rest of the side threatened to have a meltdown, Agard did his best to draw Dons level, twice shooting wide before thumping the base of the post on the stroke of half time.

It was a similar story in the second half too. Dons were by far the busier of the two sides, but twice almost got cut open by Chesterfield, and had Joe Walsh to thank for keeping them out.

Agard continued to be the key man for Dons, forcing a fine stop from Fulton before heading agonsingly wide but was taken off on the hour for Ryan Colclough - must to the wonderment of the home fans. Colclough though almost had an immediate impact as he lashed the ball goal-wards, forcing Fulton into another acrobatic stop.

It was looking like Dons would need a healthy dose of luck to get back into it, and it's exactly what they got to not draw level but to take the lead. First, Powell broke into the area and though his touch was heavy, keeper Fulton parried it back into the path of the Dons winger, who bundled it over the line, much to the relief of the home fans.

Six minutes later, they were ahead. As Chesterfield struggled to clear the ball from a corner, Colclough waited on the edge of the box and as it dropped to him, he struck cleanly, only to see it take a deflection off a Chesterfield defender and past Fulton to give them the lead.

Incredibly though, Chesterfield would score a double of their own and retake the lead in quick fashion. Substitute Kristian Dennis first lashed home when the Dons defenders expected an offside flag just four minutes after Colclough's strike, before Dan Gardner was on hand to tap in Chesterfield's third three mintues later after great work from Gboly Ariyibi on the left flank to get past Jack Hendry.

It meant Dons once again were left to chase but Chesterfield's bus was truly parked. Chuks Aneke was thrown on with seven minutes remaining, but even his physical presence couldn't make much of a marker in the closing stages.

Despite the result, Dons remain a point away from safety, stuck 21st in League 1.

Referee: Gavin Ward

Attendance: 7,429

MK Dons: Martin, Lewington, Walsh, Hendry, Baldock, Carruthers (GC Williams 84), Upson, Powell, Agard (Colclough 60), Reeves (Aneke 84), Bowditch

Subs not used: Nicholls, Potter, GB Williams, Downing

Chesterfield: Fulton, Liddle, Evatt, Mitchell (Nolan 85), O'Neil, Dimaio, Donohue, Anderson, O'Shea (Dennis 70), Ariyibi, Beesley (Gardner 70)

Subs not used: Allinson, Gardner, Simons, Maguire, German

Booked: Evatt, O'Shea, O'Neil, Liddle