Dons cruise to victory on the road against Morecambe

Scott Hogan and Liam Kelly both opened their MK Dons accounts in a comfortable 3-1 win for MK Dons away at Morecambe on Saturday.

Joe Tomlinson converted from the spot in the first minute after Alex Gilbey was clattered by former MK keeper Stuart Moore, before Hogan, a free transfer signed a couple of weeks ago, made it 2-0 with his first goal for the club midway through the first-half.

Dons should have been high and dry, but Morecambe threatened to get back into it when Jamie Stott pulled one back for the hosts on the stroke of half-time. But Kelly’s deflected strike from range would loop in not long after the restart to secure the points, lifting Dons to 15th in the table.

Scott Hogan was handed his first start for Scott Lindsey's side after making his debut against Port Vale last weekend. He led the line ahead of the absent Tommy Leigh who missed out through illness. There was also a return for Nico Lawrence, not seen since the opening day of the season, as he replaced Jack Tucker in defence.

A better start they could not have predicted when former Dons keeper Stuart Moore cleaned out ex-team-mate Alex Gilbey after just 45 seconds to give away a penalty, duly converted by Joe Tomlinson.

A basketball game in the opening exchanges, the game had little flow or control for either side, which did not please head coach Lindsey, but his nerves were eased when Hogan doubled the lead midway through the half with his first goal for the club. Poking the ball through the legs of Rhys Williams on the edge of the box, his initial effort was saved by Moore but he bobbled home the rebound.

From there, it looked as though the visitors would run riot - Hogan, Alex Gilbey, Aaron Nemane would all go close and should have put Dons further ahead long before half-time, but a mix of wild finishing and some good saves from Moore kept the score within reach of the Shrimps.

And so it would prove as Jamie Stott bullied a header into the net a minute before half-time to give Morecambe a life-line heading into the second-half.

But that life-line was quickly extinguished when Liam Kelly's effort from 25-yards took a wicked deflection to loop over Moore's despairing dive to restore Dons' two-goal lead just four minutes after the restart.

Thereafter, it was relatively smooth sailing for the visitors. Substitute Ellis Harrison replaced the industrious Hogan and should have done better with a solo breakaway, while Rhys Williams missed a glorious chance to get Morecambe back within a goal but boomed his header over the bar from close range.

Referee: Will Finnie

Attendance: 3,448 (250)

Morecambe: Moore, Hendrie, Lewis (Dobson 90), Stott, Hope (Brown 84), Harrack (White 84), R Williams, Tollitt (Millen 84), Dackers, Tutonda, Jones

Subs not used: Burgoyne, Taylor, Songo'o

MK Dons: McGill, Lawrence, Maguire (Lewington 87), Offord, Nemane (MJ Williams 73), Tomlinson, Kelly, Lemonheigh-Evans, Gilbey, J White (Carroll 65), Hogan (Harrison 65)

Subs not used: MacGillivray, Tucker, Ilunga

Booked: Maguire, Nemane, MJ Williams