Collins gets four as Dons hit Doncaster for six

Aaron Collins scored a remarkable four goals as MK Dons ran riot against Doncaster Rovers, winning 6-1 at Stadium MK.

The Welshman took his tally to 16 for the season in brilliant fashion, scoring twice in the opening 21 minutes to put the hosts in charge.

The game could and should have been out of sight by the break, but the door was left ajar enough for Jordan Thomas to pull one back on 64 minutes, threatening to make a game of it.

But Collins then completed his hat-trick five minutes later, then fired in a fourth to stamp Dons’ authority back on the game.

Callum Paterson and Marvin Ekpiteta then scored late on to complete the rout, winning for a third game in a row, and a fourth in five.

After winning back-to-back games, Paul Warne made a single change to the side, reintroducing Dan Crowley to the side in the centre of the park, coming in in place of Ibby Fullah. The only other change came on the bench, with Cohen Bramall missing out for Jay Matete.

In-form Aaron Collins already had 12 goals to his name heading into the game, but he swiftly added number 13 and 14 to his tally in the first-half as Dons threatened to put the result out of reach before the interval.

The Welshman only needed two minutes to fire in from 20 yards to give the hosts the lead, with his second coming 19 minutes later when he beat keeper Tommy Simkin one-on-one.

But there were plenty of changes before and after his second which should have put the hosts out of sight. Alex Gilbey saw an effort deflected just past the post, Sam Nombe rounded the keeper but was unable to convert from a tight angle, while Dan Crowley had two great chances, one drawing a fine save from the Rovers custodian just before half-time.

For the opening 15 minutes of the second-half, Dons threatened to leave the door ajar for Doncaster as the visitors threatened to make the hosts rue those missed first-half chances.

Substitute Will Keane had threatened minutes earlier with a header over the bar, before Jordan Thomas poked home from close range to give Rovers a life line on 64 minutes.

All it did though was reignite the hosts who, led by Collins, went on to emphatically make their mark.

The Welshman would relieve all tension five minutes later by completing his hat-trick with 21 minutes to go, then added his and Dons’ fourth when he was played through by Ben Wiles seven minutes later to put him on 16 goals for the campaign.

He was given a standing ovation as he came off but there was more to come from Dons. Callum Paterson, who hit the bar with his first touch coming off the bench, then scored from close range after Charlie Goode’s header was brilliantly saved by Simkin, before Marvin Ekpiteta completed the rout from two yards out at the end.

Referee: Andrew Humphries

Attendance: 7,732 (689)

MK Dons: Dennis, Ekpiteta, Sanders, Goode, Campbell, Silvera (Jones 70), Crowley (Wiles 66), Gilbey, Wintle, Collins, Nombe (Paterson 70)

Subs not used: Stacey, Barlaser, Fullah, Matete

Doncaster Rovers: Simkin, Sterry (Hanlan 46), Bailey, Broadbent (Gotts 46), May (Keane 61), Ayinde (McCann 61), Byrne (Adelakun 78), Thomas, Hutchinson, Senior, Grehan

Subs not used: Clarke, McGrath

Booked: Crowley, Humphries, Thomas