Defence has improved despite early game blip against Bradford

Despite conceding twice in the first five minutes of the opening game of the season, defender Jack Tucker believes MK Dons are already harder to break down compared to last season.

Beaten by a fine Alex Pattison strike and an own goal early in the game at Stadium MK, the defensive trio of Tucker, Sam Sherring and Nico Lawrence limited travelling Bradford to precious little for the rest of the game.

After conceding plenty of goals in the latter part of last season, including five against Stockport County and Crawley Town, four against Mansfield and Sutton and three against Harrogate, heavy recruitment was done this summer to bolster the back line and to give Mike Williamson some depth and strength in defence.

In have come Sherring, Lawrence and Luke Offord, who can also be deployed as a midfielder, and Laurence Maguire, while Warren O’Hora and Daniel Harvie departed after last term. There have also been big changes in goal, with Tom McGill arriving on loan from Brighton, replacing Michael Kelly and Aston Villa loanee Filip Marshall between the sticks.

With the leaking defence being the biggest criticism levelled at the side last season, Tucker believes the work done over pre-season in terms of recruitment and on the pitch itself, has given the side a new base on which to work from despite the disappointing start to the season on Saturday.

“One of the criticisms we faced last season was they we conceded too many goals, we've looked to address it and in pre-season, I think we've shown we're harder to score against,” said the former Gillingham man, now entering his third season at the club.

“It's a little blip, those first five minutes, and I hope we can get it out of our system quickly. We're in a good place defensively, we've got lads who want to defend and learn, so I think we're in a good place so we have to move on and learn from it.

“There's been a big overhaul with lads coming and going, but everyone has been good in pre-season, we've gelled quickly and we're building relationships. That will only get better with time.

“We've got competition, and there will always be three lads out there defending and trying to keep a clean sheet.”