Clinical Rams deal Dons another defeat at home

A clinical Derby County performance ended MK Dons’ recent unbeaten run of games at four on Saturday as they claimed all three points thanks to a 3-1 win at Stadium MK.

In an entertaining first-half, Louie Barry put Dons ahead on 41 minutes and fully deserved their advantage, but could only hold on to it for two minutes as Hayden Roberts nodded the Rams level.

James Collins hooked Derby ahead early in the second-half as Dons struggled to clear a set-piece before Nathaniel Mendez-Laing put the result to bed against the run of play with 11 minutes to go.

Despite looking much improved and the better side for the most post, Dons remain in the bottom four ahead of next week’s trip to Barnsley.

After back-to-back cup games, Liam Manning reverted to his newly established stock line-up to face Derby County. Having given minutes to Mo Eisa and Tennai Watson on their returns from injury, both were named amongst the substitutes.

Despite the gulf in positions between the sides, Dons more than matched the Rams in the first half and should have been ahead after just 70 seconds when Louie Barry slid in Will Grigg, but keeper Joe Wildsmith did well to deny him.

The hosts looked by far the more dangerous in the opening 15 minutes as they quickly settled into their groove before Derby came back into it, and both sides butted heads making for a bit of a scrappy affair.

Bradley Johnson then missed a glorious chance to open the scoring when he too forced Wildsmith into a save from Josh McEachran's free-kick, before Hayden Roberts saw his header past Jamie Cumming ruled out for offside.

But a frantic two minutes at the end of the first half saw both sides find the back of the net. Louie Barry, desperately seeking his first goal for the club, finally got his reward on 41 minutes when he countered from a Derby corner, racing half the length of the pitch before rounding Wildsmith and putting his side into the lead.

Barely had the dust settled though, Derby were level when Roberts this time stayed onside to nod Conor Hourihane's corner past Cumming to send the sides in level at the break.

The frantic nature of the first-half continued in the second, and buoyed by their late equaliser, it was Derby who capitalised and took the lead just six minutes after the restart. Once again it was a set-piece which was Dons' undoing, unable to clear fully as Derby recycled and James Collins was left in acres of space to hook home from close range despite protests for offside.

With the large travelling support in full-voice, Dons tried to get back level and both Grigg and substitute Mo Eisa, who came on for Barry at the break, saw sight of goal but squandered the opportunity, while Holland too skidded an effort wide of the mark.

With 11 minutes to go though, Derby secured the points when Nathaniel Mendez-Laing skipped past the challenge of Zak Jules to find the bottom corner.

Referee: James Linington

MK Dons: Cumming, Lewington, O'Hora, Jules, Harvie (Watson 62), Lawrence, McEachran, Johnson, Holland (Burns 84), Barry (Eisa 46), Grigg (Dennis 84)

Subs not used: Ravizzoli, Tucker, Devoy

Derby County: Wildsmith Forsyth, Hourihane (Stearman 90), Bird, Collins (McGoldrick 75), Mendez-Laing (Thompson 87), Smith, Roberts, Sibley, Dobbin (Osula 75), Rooney

Subs not used: Loach, Aghatise, Oduroh

Booked: Mendez-Laing, Harvie, Lewington, Rooney, Dennis