Head coach Paul Warne spoke after MK Dons claimed the win against Newport County on Saturday

It might not have been the prettiest of games but MK Dons’ 2-1 win over Newport County rounded out a very strong week for Paul Warne’s side.

After a thumping 5-0 win over Cheltenham Town last Saturday, they followed it up with a gritty 1-1 draw against former boss Scott Lindsey’s Crawley Town, before beating the Exiles at Rodney Parade to claim seven points from a possible nine in the day’s early kick-off.

Habeeb Ogunneye was given the goal, which could have been an own goal after his strike deflected off Aaron Nemane and off the face of keeper Craig MacGilliray after just six minutes, but Nathaniel Mendez-Laing equalised from the spot on the stroke of half-time after Jack Sanders was hauled over.

Callum Paterson headed Dons in front six minutes after the restart before Newport were given a penalty of their own when Luke Offord handled in the box with 20 minutes to go, but MacGillivray made amends by tipping Bobby Kamwa’s effort onto the post as Dons claimed the win.

Blotting the book somewhat were injuries to Gethin Jones and substitute Scott Hogan, while Kane Thompson-Sommers too looking to have suffered a groin injury.

By no means a polished performance, leaving south Wales with the points was all that boss Warne was bothered by afterwards.

“It was not a classic, but come May, no-one will give a monkey’s how you pick points up,” he said. “I thought, after going a goal down, we were pretty good in the first-half. We got into some dangerous positions, we were getting crosses in and we had a couple of set-pieces we should have scored from.

“We have played better but away from home, seven points in a week and we’ve gone second… but no-one else has played yet!

“We had four centre-halves on the pitch come the end, and my centre-forward playing centre-mid so it doesn’t matter how you win games.

“All in all, we’ve done well, we’ve got some tired people in there. It has been a busy couple of weeks.”

Warne was complimentary of the opposition, claiming despite only winning once this season, they are a much better side than their results would tell, highlighting just how hard his side had to work to come away with the result in their favour.

He continued: “Newport have been in every game this season - they beat Crawley which we couldn’t do, they drew with Notts County, lost to Salford from a fortuitous goal and lost to Grimsby in the last minute.

“We know how difficult this game would be, and in the second-half we looked jaded but in the first-half we looked really good.

“I’m pleased when we’re not looking amazing. If we want to be successful and get promoted, you have to keep getting points when you can.”