Mason emerges as the leading man for MK Dons

Mason did not kick a ball under Paul Tisdale, the manager who signed him in the summer, but has returned not only to match-fitness but also to goal-scoring form too since Russell Martin took over.

Now with three goals in his last four games, Mason is showing what Dons missed in the opening three months of the season.

"There was loads of quality involved, but I'm speaking about Joe every week," said manager Martin. "He's got so much quality and we're lucky to have him. We're getting him going again. He's been out of football for a long time, not playing for a long time, he has been excellent. He gets what we're doing and buys into it.

"We're trying to give him, like Alex (Gilbey), ways of using their energy in the right areas."

Defender Regan Poole added: "If you give him one chance, he puts it away. He didn't have many chances, a few shots from outside the box in the first half, but as soon as he gets that chance, and it wasn't even a chance to be honest, he stuck it in the top corner."