Jersey Mike’s Subs Trophy: MK Dons 4-1 Crawley Town

MK Dons picked up their first victory of the season, and their first in the EFL Trophy in nearly three years, with a comfortable 4-1 win over Crawley Town on Tuesday night.

Goals late in the first-half from Ben Wiles and Jack Sanders put Dons in control at the break, before Eli Campbell and Rushian Hepburn-Murphy made sure for Paul Warne’s side. Nathan Tinsdale netted a consolation in stoppage time for the visitors, the only real blot on the night.

With 23 days between league games, Paul Warne named a strong albeit second-string side to face Crawley Town. Only two players kept their places from the AFC Wimbledon draw last week, as keeper Will Dennis and centre-back Eli Campbell remained in the side.

While both sides were desperately seeking a morale-boosting victory ahead of a break from league football, the majority of the first-half flattered to deceive. Crawley had a couple of early sights of goal when Nathan Tinsdale had two bites of the cherry but both found keeper Dennis.

Speaking after the 0-0 draw with AFC Wimbledon, Cohen Bramall called for Dons to be braver and more adventurous in the final third of the pitch, but there was no sign of it for long spells at Stadium MK, with only Ibby Fullah, making his first start for the side, looking eager to make anything happen in attack. He twice forced saves from keeper Jackson Izquierdo, while Ben Wiles wildly shanked one over the bar.

But on the run up to half-time, Dons twice hit the back of the net to assert themselves. First, on 41 minutes, Wiles collected a neat touch from Fullah to calmly slot home into the bottom corner.

A couple of minutes later, defender Jack Sanders nodded home Dan Barlaser’s corner at the far post to make it 2-0.

The late flurry of activity could have resulted in a third goal of the game too, but Louie Watson scuffed his effort wide of the mark.

With their lead comfortable heading back out, Dons cruised through the second-half without really needing to break a sweat. Eli Campbell, so impressive in his debut against AFC Wimbledon last week, showed deft feet to fire in the third on the hour-mark after good work from Dan Barlaser to tee him up.

Ten minutes later, Pele Arganese-McDermott’s stray hand hitting Hepburn-Murphy’s strike saw Dons awarded a spot kick, with the former Crawley man sending keeper Izquierdo the wrong way to make it 4-0 with 20 minutes to play.

Warne was able to hand debuts to youngsters Jack Perniskie and Elisha Boateng late on in the day, but some tired midfield play in stoppage time allowed Tinsdale to cooly slot home a consolation for Crawley.

Referee: Aaron Farmer

Attendance: 1,145 (108)

MK Dons: Dennis, Campbell (Troso 61), Ekpiteta, Sanders, Wiles (Boateng 89), Jones (Burke 78), Fullah (Perniskie 89), Barlaser, Matete, Silvera (Silver 89), Hepburn-MurphySubs not used: Stacey, Singh-Hurditt

Crawley Town: Izquierdo, McDermott, Barker, Watson (Morgan 61), Richards, Di Biase (Ebiowei 61), Ferizaj, Odimayo (Ewans-Findlay 46), Krasniq (Kamara 61)i, Tinsdale, Robertson (Adeyemo 61)

Subs not used: Orsi, Arthurs

Booked: Robertson, Fullah, Matete, Ferizaj, Ewans-Findlay