Dons will learn from off-colour night against Grimsby

Mike Williamson reacts to his side's 1-1 draw with Grimsby Town

Though they escaped with a point in the end, MK Dons boss Mike Williamson believes his side will learn a lot of lessons from their 1-1 draw with Grimsby Town on Tuesday night.

For the first time since he took over six weeks ago, Dons looked distinctly second-best at times against their League Two opponents, and had a few warning signs fired in their direction before Rekeil Pyke gave the Mariners a 20th minute lead.

Barely threatening Harvey Cartwright's goal in the opening 45 minutes, Dons looked a more dangerous prospect in the second-half, and drew level on 66 minutes through Jack Payne's close-range finish.

While both sides had chances to win it, Mo Eisa's strike wide with the final kick of the game could have won it for the home team, but it would have been a cruel journey home for Grimsby had it been so.

Without a game this weekend again, Dons are not in league action until December 9 and the trip to Mansfield Town - with the BSM Trophy match with Brighton U21s next Tuesday night - but following on from the draw with Grimsby, Williamson said a lot needs to be taken from the game to move forward.

"It was a disappointing evening, and it took us 45 minutes to get going," he said. "We showed character, and all credit to the players, to get back into it in the second half.

"For us, there is a lot for us to reflect on, and I think we'll learn a lot from it. It will be a good game for us to look back on, and to break down.

"I felt as though we were second best in certain areas, but I can't criticise the lads, they've been great since we got here. But it's a learning night. And we could have won it at the end, so it shows the quality we have even on an off day.

"There were many things, I don't think it was just one. Our energy level was low, but it's something we'll have to look at. The quality was not there, and we can accept that because you have days like that. But we pushed it.

"Every point is a difficult one, but at home, with the last performance we had, of course we wanted three points tonight. But based on that first-half, being a goal down, we'll take a point. It's a learning experience tonight."