Dons succumb to second-half slump as Oxford win at Stadium MK

A poor second-half showing from MK Dons saw them throw away a lead against Oxford United, going down 2-1 at Stadium MK on Saturday.

Leading through Hiram Boateng’s fifth goal of the season as he replaced Player of the Month Scott Twine, missing through covid protocols, Dons didn’t want half-time to come such was their control of the opening 45 minutes, but like against Plymouth on Wednesday, it would be the second period which would cost them.

The visitors were quick out the blocks and penned Dons into their own territory for most of the second half, and were justifiably level when Matty Taylor flicked a header past Andrew Fisher 11 minutes after the restart.

The keeper would then play a key role in Oxford’s second - his poor clearance allowed Mark Sykes to tap into an empty net with 11 minutes to go. A stunning Simon Eastwood save late on denied Charlie Brown an equaliser, before Oxford were reduced to 10 men in stoppage time, but defeat meant Dons drop to ninth in League One.

As expected, Harry Darling missed out for MK Dons with a hamstring injury, promoting Aden Baldwin from the bench but the big news ahead of kick-off was the absence of Mo Eisa and Player of the Month Scott Twine - both missing due, out through covid protocols. It meant Hiram Boateng and Troy Parrott also came into the side, and a threadbare bench for Liam Manning's side with just six named on it.

Those absentees appeared to make an impact in the early stages of the game as Oxford were quick out the blocks, penning them in in the opening 10 minutes with Dons struggling to string any passes together. When they did though, they took the lead courtesy of two of those chances combining.

Initially, it looked as though Boateng's touch had taken him too wide after getting on the end of Parrott's pass in the box, but a touch out of his feet drew out keeper Simon Eastwood and he slid the ball neatly under him to give Dons an 11th minute advantage.

Three minutes later, Oxford thought they'd levelled but Matty Taylor had strayed offside but despite the near-miss, it was Dons who took control of the half thereafter. Parrott and Matt O'Riley were critical for Manning's side as they looked threatening every time they were on the ball, but neither were able to test keeper Eastwood with chances they had before the interval.

At the other end, Oxford's only real sight of goal came when the normally reliable Andrew Fisher picked out the Oxford shirt of Cameron Brannagan 20-yards out, but he somehow blasted over from 12 yards.

But while Dons had control of the opening 45 minutes, the tides completely turned in the second as Oxford took control and with it the points.

Hemmed into their own half for almost exculsively the opening 20 minutes of the half, Dons' defence came under increasing pressure before it eventually told with Matty Taylor flicking a free-kick past Fisher at the near post on 66 minutes to draw the visitors level.

And they certainly deserved it, with Dons struggling to get on the ball, struggling to keep it and failing to make any impact on Eastwood's goal at the other end.

As the conditions worsened with the rain, so did Dons' performance and from some chaotic passing around at the back, they gifted Oxford not only the lead but the win too. Josh McEachran's ball back to his keeper left Fisher in trouble but rather than clearing his lines emphatically, tried instead to pass to a white shirt but only found Brannagan. The Oxford man this time looked up and found Sykes who rolled the ball into the empty net from the edge of the box with 11 minutes to go.

Falling behind finally kicked Dons into life in the second half and within two minutes they should have been level again but for a stunning stop from keeper Simon Eastwood to deny Charlie Brown from scoring a tap-in.

Matt O'Riley was the key man for Dons all afternoon, but when he fired wide with three minutes to go, after a sensational touch to get himself in, the writing was on the wall.

A red card deep into stoppage time for Oxford's Jordan Thorniley after his second booking of the afternoon did little to alter the coure for Karl Robinson's side as Dons dropped to ninth with their third home loss of the campaign.

Referee: Tom Reeves

MK Dons: Fisher, Lewington, O'Hora, Baldwin, Harvie, Watson, McEachran, Robson, O'Riley, Boateng (Brown 74), Parrott (Martin 80)

Subs not used: Ravizzoli, Jules, Ilunga, Tripp

Oxford United: Eastwood, Long, Thorniley, Moore, Brannagan, Taylor(Williams 90), Sykes, Henry (McGuane 63), Holland (Whyte 84), Seddon

Subs not used: Plumley, Winnall, Forde, Bodin

Booked: Henry, Thornily, Long, McEachran

Sent off: Thornily