Drab Dons beaten again in Blackpool

MK Dons' miserable start to the season continued on Saturday as they were beaten 1-0 by Blackpool to fall deeper into the League One drop zone.

Sullay Kaikai swept home the only goal of the game on 66 minutes in a game void of chances, shots or entertainment on the whole, as Dons struggled to create a clear-cut chance while Blackpool netted one of only two efforts on target.

The result means they drop to 23rd in League One, now level on points with Burton Albion.

The big team news for Dons came between the posts as Lee Nicholls was dropped from keeping duty, replaced by Andrew Fisher who was making his league debut at 22. Richard Keogh, and Louis Thompson came in for Baily Cargill and Jordan Houghton, while Cameron Jerome, who scored in each of his two previous starts, was replaced up front by Joe Mason.

Fisher looked solid in the opening half an hour as he took the ball with his feet in typical Dons style, but neither keeper had much to do otherwise as both sides cancelled each other out.

Conditions did not help, with the ball skipping off the soaking wet Bloomfield Road surface, but the football on display certainly matched the weather. Neither side could register a shot on goal as both defences pinged balls back and forth to one another, while the strikers could only chase and retreat.

While Scott Fraser and David Kasumu had shots blocked, Kasumu was the key man at the other end as half time approached, getting to Sullay Kaikai's cross before the lurking Jerry Yates.

The second period played out much the same way the first half ended, so it was inevitable Russell Martin would make changes to his side to alter things and after being forced into a change when Thompson went down injured, replaced by Ben Gladwin, both Joe Mason and Carlton Morris were replaced with Cameron Jerome and Ste Walker.

But within five minutes of those latter changes, Blackpool were in the lead. CJ Hamilton broke clear on the Blackpool right and fizzed the ball into the mix for Sullay Kaikai to sweep home unmarked around the penalty spot.

It did little to inject any life into the game though, and Dons' struggles to create anything to test Chris Maxwell in the Blackpool net.

Fisher was called into action with 10 minutes to go to deny Yates after Hamilton broke again this time down the opposite flank but it was bread and butter for the keeper.

Failing to register a meaningful shot on target throughout though, Gladwin sailed a free-kick over the bar in stoppage time - arguably their only effort on goal in the second period as they slumped to 23rd in the standings.

Referee: Marc Edwards

Blackpool: Maxwell, J Williams, Yates (Madine 87), Kaikai (Kemp 78), Mitchell, Ward, Turton, Ekpiteta, Hamilton, Ballard, Woodburn (Sarkic 68)

Subs not used: Sims, Gabriel, Robson, Gretarsson

MK Dons: Fisher, Williams, Lewington, Keogh, Poole, Harvie, Kasumu, Thompson (Gladwin 54), Fraser, Mason (Walker 62), Morris (Jerome (62)

Subs: Nicholls, O'Hora, Houghton, Sorinola