Dons' Doncaster blues continue as Street wins it for Rovers

A spirited second-half fightback was not enough for MK Dons to overcome their Doncaster hoodoo as they were beaten 2-1 at the Eco-Power Stadium on Saturday.

With a win-less run against Rovers now stretching to ten games, it was Dons who gifted the home side the lead when returning keeper Tom McGill and debutant Jack Sanders conspired to play Jay Williams into trouble, allowing Joe Ironside to fire Doncaster into a 31st minute lead.

Dons looked a new entity after the break, and drew level when Scott Hogan lashed in Alex Gilbey’s pass on 58 minutes to set up a thrilling end.

But it would be substitute Rob Street who would settle it with 16 minutes to go, firing into the bottom corner after and end-to-end scrap, resigning Dons to defeat.

Picking up just four points in nine trips to South Yorkshire prior to the game, Dons boss Scott Lindsey made four changes to his side, and introduced an old-school formation for the match against Rovers.

New signing Jack Sanders started at the centre of a back-four, with Connor Lemonheigh-Evans replacing Aaron Nemane as the right-back. In goal, Tom McGill returned with Craig MacGillivray injured, while Callum Hendry started up front with Scott Hogan.

On the bench, goalkeeper Seb Stacey was recalled from his loan spell at Hitchin Town as cover.

Grant McCann's side had moved into second spot earlier in the week after their win over Barrow, and were in much better form than their opponents heading into the game, but the game, certainly for the first half-an-hour, was a pretty even affair.

Dons in fact had the better of the chances to open the scoring, with Alex Gilbey twice testing keeper Ted Sharman-Lowe, while Scott Hogan too made the stopper work from a tight angle.

The new-look defence looked fairly solid too, though it would be a mistake at the back which would prove catastrophic. The returning McGill had played Jay Williams into trouble earlier in the game, but the back-line was able to recover, but when debutant Jack Sanders did it on the half-hour mark, there was little the midfielder could do to bail him out, with Joe Ironside firing past McGill from the edge of the box to give the hosts the lead.

The goal certainly bhoyed the hosts, who then pressed up the field in search of a second while a dejected Dons sought to hold on for the remainder of the half, though it was not for want of trying from Lemonheigh-Evans and Dan Crowley, though at times they appeared the only ones.

Needing a response in the second-half, Dons almost conceded at the very start of it when somehow Jamie Sterry fired wide from six yards, but it breathed new life into the visitors.

The looked a wholly new entity as they put Rovers under pressure, creating chances for both Hogan and Hendry, though they missed the target. But Hogan would get a reprieve when he was played through by Gilbey, who held play up brilliantly, to lash in Dons' equaliser. And it was nothing short of what they deserved.

Keen to get back in front though, Doncaster came up against an inspired McGill, keen to make up for his first-half mistake. Three times in quick succession the Brighton loanee made excellent saves to keep out Patrick Kelly, Luke Molyneux and Joseph Olowu to keep things level.

The game was end-to-end as both sides sought to find a winner. Lindsey threw on Liam Kelly and Tommi O'Reilly in a bid to make the breakthrough, but it would be another substitute in the form of Rob Street who would win it with 16 minutes to go.

Street peeled off the back of Nico Lawrence on the Doncaster right, getting onto the end of a long ball over the top, firing low past McGill into the bottom corner to get the job done.

Referee: Zac Kennard-Kettle

Doncaster Rovers: Sharman-Lowe, Sterry, Maxwell, Olowu, Molyneux (Gibson 90), Bailey, P Kelly (Clifton 76), Ennis (Street 55), Ironside (Sharp 76), McGrth, Crew (Brodbent 76)

Subs not used: Lawlor, Anderson

MK Dons: McGill, Sanders, Lawrence, Tomlinson, Lemonheigh-Evans, Gilbey, Williams (L Kelly 58), Crowley, White (O'Reilly 58), Hendry (Harrison 80), Hogan

Subs not used: Stacey, Nemane, Thompson-Sommers, Waller

Booked: Sanders, Hendry, Tomlinson