Dons escape with a valuable point after Derby County onslaught

Henry Lawrence scored his first career league goal as MK Dons stole away from Pride Park with an unlikely point following a 1-1 draw with Derby County.

Justifiably ahead through David McGoldrick’s 21st goal of the season after 17 minutes, Derby missed chance after chance to put the game to bed as Dons limped towards half-time, somewhat fortunate to still be in the game.

But as the game grew scrappy in the second-half, Lawrence popped up in the penalty area to convert a rare Dons attack to claim a third point in as many games, extending their unbeaten run to six matches.

Results elsewhere meant Dons moved four points clear of the relegation zone with five games to go.

Injury to Daniel Harvie in the 1-1 draw with Portsmouth on Good Friday saw him ruled out of the trip to Derby three days later, while a knock to Jack Tucker also meant he would miss out as Mark Jackson had to reshuffle his backline. Zak Jules and Henry Lawrence came into the wing-back positions, while further forwards, Nathan Holland came into the side for Conor Grant.

Despite the difference between the sides - Derby seventh at the start of play and Dons 19th - it was a real ding-dong battle in the early stages as both sides started brightly.

Former Luton striker James Collins thumped the post after just 90 seconds, but Dons twice got in behind the Derby defence only for the final ball to be lacking.

The home side continued to press, with Nathanel Mendez-Laing hitting a fierce effort which was deflected behind, before Collins headed over the bar.

The pressure eventually told on 17 minutes though when another Derby corner came in at the near post, drew in everyone to allowe David McGoldrick with the simplest of finishes for his 21st goal of the season.

Falling behind, Dons went off the boil significantly and were somewhat lucky not to be further adrift come the half-time whistle. At sixes and sevens defensively at times, the visitors could barely string a pass together as Mendez-Laing, Collins and Conor Hourihane all came close to doubling Derby's lead as Jamie Cumming made three vital saves to keep his side in it. Those missed chances would come back to haunt Derby.

While the first-half was plain sailing for the hosts, the second would be far from it. Dons' performance did not improve hugely, but Derby faltered early in the half and it offered Dons a little bit of a foothold in the encounter.

The home fans were left with boiling blood when twice they were denied what looked like two clear penalties, the first for handball and the second when Zak Jules barged Jason Knight to the ground, but referee Ben Speedie remained unmoved on both.

So it would be cruel, for Derby, irony when Nathan Holland, who had looked uninterested for much of the game until that point, shrugged off the attentions of Jake Rooney to pick out Henry Lawrence, who had ghosted into the box to fire in his first career league goal with 22 minutes to go to draw things level.

The urgency sparked Derby into panic mode as they launched wave after wave of attack, but were unable to breach Dons' defences. McGoldrick headed into the side-netting, Mendez-Laing came too close again but after nine minutes of time added on, Dons claimed an unlikely point.

Referee: Ben Speedie

Attendance: 26,723

Derby County: Wildsmith, Hourihane (Dobbin 72), Cashin, Barkhuizen (Sibley 84), Collins (Knight 72), McGoldrick, Mendez-Laing, Smith (Bird 72), Roberts, Rooney, Knight

Subs not used: McGee, Forsyth, Davies

MK Dons: Cumming, Lawrence, Watson, Lewington, Stewart, Jules (Robson 90), McEachran (Johnson 84), Maghoma, Holland (Grigg 78), Leko (Grant 46), Eisa (Dean 78)

Subs not used: Ravizzoli, Devoy

Booked: Maghoma, Rooney, Watson, Roberts