Harley's fond memories of a landmark MK Dons game

It is a game that goes slightly under the radar of greats at MK Dons, but the 4-2 FA Cup win over Queens Park Rangers in January 2013 is still well-remembered by one of its goal-scorers.

Ryan Harley replaced Gary MacKenzie after just 20 minutes against the Premier League side, with the Dons leading through a Dean Lewington header, though it was later adjudged an Armand Traore own goal.

Ryan Lowe's strike five minutes before the interval sent Karl Robinson's side in 2-0 up. Few could have predicted what would happen next.

Dons had unhappy memories of Loftus Road. A year earlier, Dons were denied an upset with a last-minute Heidar Helguson strike at Stadium MK to set up a replay - not to mention Clint Hill's handball going unpunished.

So when Harley popped up to tap home Dons' third in front of the 3,155 travelling supporters five minutes after the restart to make it 3-0, revenge was certainly on the cards. Darren Potter added a fourth six minutes later.

Although Jay Bothroyd and former Manchester United full-back Fabio pulled late goals back for Rangers, Dons ran out comfortable winners 4-2. The result has been bumped down the pecking order of great landmarks for the club, most notably the 4-0 win over Manchester United 19 months later.

And it is only looking back to it now that Harley can see the significance of the win at Loftus Road.

"At the time, we were just playing a team a level above," he said. "But now, I see a lot of photos around the club, it was a big victory. I think I was on the bench that day, and scored. It was a really good day.

"We nearly did it against Liverpool as well, we could have got something at the end, but that United game is the main one. It was good to be a part of it."

Harley was on loan from Brighton in 2013 and his time at the club ended in March when he went back to his parent club. He would return to Dons in summer 2019, and has scored twice more since - the second in a 2-1 win over Oldham on the opening day of last season, and the first in a 2-0 win over Yeovil last March.

He continued: "I scored the first goal in Tis' first game, and then I scored another one later in the season but I'm not sure those days will come around any more!