Dominant Dons run riot to beat Newport County

A comprehensive opening half-an-hour at Stadium MK secured MK Dons a brilliant 3-0 win over Newport County on Saturday.

Goals from Dan Kemp, Jack Payne and skipper Alex Gilbey, scoring against his former club, put the game to bed inside 30 minutes, and they were plenty good value for it too.

The hosts had two second-half efforts ruled out for offside, and forged good chances to further extend their lead but the damage had already been dealt as they closed the gap to the automatic spots to three points.

After Dean Lewington's sending off on Tuesday night, earning him a two-match ban, Kyran Lofthouse came back into the side as the only change. Cameron Norman shook off the knock which saw him limp out against Wrexham.

Taking on their second Welsh opponent in a week, Newport arrived at Stadium MK as the division's form side, but were quite simply blown away in the opening half-an-hour by a rampant Dons. Having had decent chances in the opening 10 minutes to take the lead, Kemp added his second in a week when he exchanged passes with Stephen Wearne, who rolled the ball under his foot for Kemp to convert his 19th goal of the season after 12 minutes.

Ten minutes later, it was 2-0 thanks to a brilliant training ground move between Kemp and Jack Payne, with the latter firing in via the upright.

And it was 3-0 before the half-hour mark when Wearne chased down a ball over, shrugged off the attentions of Newport skipper Scott Bennett before squaring for Alex Gibley to sweep home against his former club.

The home side looked out of sight but threatened to further extend their lead before the interval, with Payne, Kyran Lofthouse and Joe Tomlinson all trying to force the issue in the lead up to half-time, while Newport were left to lick their wounds.

Dons picked up there they left off in the second-half, eager to find a fourth to put the icing on the cake. Twice, Kemp took aim from close range, but saw one well-saved by Nick Townsend, and another ruled out for offside despite finding the back of the net.

The home side would have it in the net for a fifth time when Ellis Harrison, who replaced Wearne on the hour, swept home only to see it chalked off too, while Emre Tezgel, who came on for Kemp, somehow was denied his first senior goal by some last-ditch Newport defending.

Newport would put up a little fight towards the end, but only a Luke Jephcott strike would test Michael Kelly at the death.

Referee: Ben Atkinson

Attendance: 6,354 (512)

MK Dons: Kelly, Norman, O'Hora, Harvie, Tomlinson, Lofthouse, Bate (Robson 78), Payne (Williams 78), Gilbey (Dennis 86), Kemp (Tezgel 61), Wearne (Harrison 61)

Subs not used: Harness, Tripp

Newport County: Townsend, Clarke, Bennett (Zanzala 59), Baker (Jameson 46), McLoughlin (L Payne 18), Wildig, Lewis, Waite (Jephcott 46), Morris, Palmer-Houlden (Bondswell 59), Evans

Subs not used: Maxted, Rai

Booked: Wildig, Morris, Gilbey, Evans