County performance the blueprint for what Lindsey wants MK Dons to look like

MK Dons will use Notts County’s performance at Stadium MK as a blueprint after they were brushed aside 2-0 on Boxing Day.

Led by the influential Dan Crowley, whose signature Dons chased throughout the summer transfer window, the Magpies beat the hosts at their own game, and gave Scott Lindsey a glimpse at what he wants his side to look like in the coming months.

“We came up against a better side today,” said the Dons head coach afterwards. “They were very good. Their manager has had a long time with that group and they were excellent. That's the level we need to get to. We have to give the opposition some credit.

“They had good patterns, good individuals, but they were better than us.”

When asked if that was what he ultimately wants his team to look like, Lindsey said: “Of course, and we have seen it here at times, but we have to get a level of consistency in our performances. The group in general have stepped up their fitness levels, but we've had to do it in the season.

“When I got here, we were 19th, we had to win games and get everyone fit and build our identity. It's not easy to do it in the season. There have been periods in the season when we've done it, and we've not done it in the last three matches.

“You're constantly learning, and I think we'll learn more from this game than from any other to be honest. They're a really good side. We'll be better for it, and we're still a work in progress.

“We just weren't up to that level yet, but we will be.”

Until George Abbott’s strike to make it 1-0 on 57 minutes, Dons were toe-to-toe with County. Unusually for the hosts, they were the ones playing without the ball more often than not, but Lindsey said he was impressed with how his side defended, prior to the opener.

He said: “We worked really hard to block up, our defensive shape was really good and we made it hard for them, but in two moments, we gave them too much respect and room. The minute you give good players room, they will punish you, and we got punished.

“We were too erratic for the second goal, and Dan Crowley gets too much room and we got punished.

“I felt we were in a good place at 1-0, I felt like we were the ones to score next but it wasn't to be. When the second goal went in, it left us with too big a mountain to climb.”