Clinical Dons put Morecambe to the sword in confident style

A Will Grigg brace helped MK Dons brush Morecambe aside in a comprehensive 4-0 victory at the Mazuma Stadium MK Saturday.

The 31-year-old, who returned to the club in the summer, bagged twice in the first half to put Dons in control, but they didn’t have it all their own way. Jamie Cumming made three key blocks, including a top-class diving save with the score at 1-0, to keep the hosts at bay.

But second-half strikes from Conor Grant and Matt Dennis, who replaced Grigg at the break, ensured a comfortable win for Liam Manning’s side, who lifted themselves out of the relegation zone with their second win of the campaign.

After the excellent display against Watford in the week, both Dawson Devoy and Darragh Burns were handed their first league starts for the club, but there were four changes to the side which won at Vicarage Road. Jack Tucker, Dean Lewington, Bradley Johnson and Conor Grant all came back into the side as Daniel Oyegoke, Zak Jules, Matt Smith and Louie Barry dropped to the bench.

Liam Manning urged his side to use their performance in the Cup as a catalyst to kick-start their league campaign, and after a tough start to League One, certainly carried it into the game at the Mazuma Stadium.

After forcing a save from keeper Connor Ripley as early as the second minute through Bradley Johnson, Dons looked in control of things against Morecambe, who started the day in 23rd in the table. With an attacking line-up, they looked the more dangerous in the early stages without really testing keeper Ripley further, but he would be twice undone in similar fashion before the break.

Will Grigg had not opened his scoring account again since making the permanent move to Stadium MK in the summer, but got his third first goal on 17 minutes when he got on the end of Grant's cross from the left, poking home from just inside the six-yard box.

The second came five minutes after a stunning save from Jamie Cumming denied Ryan Delaney the equaliser, and it came in almost identical fashion, this time converting Harvie's cross past Ripley.

It could have been game over on the stroke of half-time when Ripley spilled the ball into the path of Burns, but the keeper made a brilliant reactionary save to deny the Irishman a second goal in as many outings.

Just as in midweek, Grigg was withdrawn early - this time at the interval - to see Matt Dennis come on but he barely got a touch in the opening 10 minutes as Morecambe came out with purpose and twice more forced Cumming into important saves to keep them a bay.

The game though would be put to bed with two goals in five minutes, the first coming on 62 minutes when Grant finished off neatly from just inside the area before Dennis got his second in as many games to make it 4-0 - the same scoreline as in the fixture last season too.

Dons even had chances to make it even more comfortable, with Dennis and Johnson both coming close to a fifth for the visitors as they lifted themselves out of the drop zone.

Referee: Leigh Doughty

Attendance: 3,995 (279)

Morecambe: Ripley, Love, Gibson, Rawson, Delaney (Cooney 78), Taylor, Fane (McLoughlin 71), Connolly (Watts 71), Gnahoua (Mayor 89), Weir, Bedeau (Phillips 46)

Subs not used: Smith, Cooney

MK Dons: Cumming, Lewington, Tucker, O'Hora, Lawrence, Harvie (Jules 87), Johnson, Grant (Barry 78), Burns (Smith 60), Devoy (Robson 60), Grigg (Dennis 46)

Subs not used: Ravizzoli, Oyegoke