Harvie earns Dons a point against Ipswich

Daniel Harvie made up for a moment of madness in the first half to earn MK Dons a vital point at home against Ipswich Town.

The Scot could well have been sent off in the first half after a needless clash with Town captain Luke Chambers in front of the fourth official which luckily only saw him flashed a yellow card.

Dons were trailing at the time to Jon Nolan's seventh minute strike which somehow found a way through the floundering home defence, but Harvie's strike nine minutes into the second period saw Dons level.

Despite Ipswich being down to 10 men when substitute Flynn Downes limped out with 22 minutes to go, it is a very good point for Russell Martin's side.

After their dismal showing away at Crewe last week, the Dons boss made five changes to the side for the visit of Ipswich Town. George Williams, Richard Keogh, Daniel Harvie, Scott Fraser and David Kasumu were all named in the starting line-up, with Baily Cargill, Warren O'Hora, Jordan Houghton, Matthew Sorinola and Ben Gladwin coming out.

But those changes did little to impact on Dons' poor fortunes this season as they fell behind after just seven minutes in scrappy style. After a good move to win a corner, the hosts were forced to quickly track back but after Freddie Sears managed to keep the ball alive for Ipswich, the defence was at sixes and sevens as they tried to clear, and the ball eventually fell to Jon Nolan – the man who scored the only goal of the game in the same fixture last season – to bobble it over the line.

Having folded last week against Crewe, it threatened to be more of the same when Freddie Sears just bent an effort wide, but Dons came back into the game with a string of half chances as they matched Ipswich. Keeper Tomas Holy though was not really tested.

Then came the clash which should have seen Harvie sent off. He clashed with Ipswich captain Luke Chambers off the ball, then hunted down the defender to kick him to the ground. Fortunately and somewhat unbelievably, he got away with just a booking which would pay off later in the day.

Dons had their best chance of the half in stoppage time when Joe Mason latched onto a defence-splitting pass from Scott Fraser, but from a tight angle could only force Holy into a save.

He was lucky to stay on the pitch after his altercation in the first half, but Harvie made amends ten minutes into the second as he drew Dons level. As Lasse Sorensen broke down the right flank, his cross picked out the unmarked Scot on the far side, who could afford a touch before bending the ball past Holy.

As Dons took the game by the scruff of the neck, the visitors were reduced to 10 men when Flynn Downes had to limp out with 22 minutes remaining after Ipswich had made all three changes.

The hosts should have taken the lead with quarter of an hour remaining when Holy made a brave stop at the feet of Callum Brittain when the keeper could only palm Fraser's effort into his path.

But despite their huff and puff against the 10 men, Dons could not find another way past Holy as both sides looked content with a point at the final whistle.

Referee: David Rock

MK Dons: Nicholls, Williams, Lewington, Keogh, Harvie, Brittain, Kasumu, Sorensen (Poole 79), Fraser, Morris (Nombe 84), Mason

Subs not used: Walker, Cargill, O'Hora, Houghton, Sorinola

Ipswich Town: Holy, Ward (Kenlock 22), Chambers, Wilson, Edwards, Nolan, Bishop (Downes 56), Sears (Judge 56), Nsiala, Dozzell, Hawkins

Subs not used: Cornell, Jackson, Lankester, Huws

Booked: Harvie, Downes, Kasumu