Dynamite Dean inspires Dons to thumping win over Walsall

An inspired Max Dean cameo appearance saw MK Dons respond in style with a thumping 5-0 win over Walsall on Good Friday.

Leading through Emre Tezgel's 28th minute opener, Dean came on in the 55th minute, and by the 80th minute, he had two goals and two assists to his name.

Winning and converting a penalty, the 20-year-old set up both Alex Gilbey and Joe Tomlinson before getting his second as they put Walsall to the sword, further cementing Dons in the play-off spots.

After the disappointing 5-0 defeat to Stockport County last weekend, Mike Williamson made just one change to his side to face Walsall, bringing back Cameron Norman in place of MJ Williams in defence. Dan Kemp returned from his shoulder injury to be named amongst the substitutes, while Max Dean was once again on the bench.

Keen to bounce back from that defeat last time out, Dons looked nervous in the opening quarter of an hour, and twice could have gone behind in the early stages. Mo Faal fired just wide of the post when he raced clear of Daniel Harvie after just six minutes, before he went one-on-one with keeper Michael Kelly from a straight-forward ball over the top, but was denied by a brilliant one-handed save by the Irishman in the Dons net.

It was a bit of a wake-up call for the home side, who kicked into gear thereafter. Stoke City loanee Emre Tezgel was Dons' key man, showing some deft flicks and touches to bring his team-mates into the action, twice turnin the ball around the corner for Alex Gilbey to get forwards.

But the roles were reversed on 28 minutes when Gilbey flicked on Joe Tomlinson's excellent right-footed cross for Tezgel to poke home from inside the six-yard box to give Dons the lead.

The hosts looked in control in the run up to the break, and could have gone in 2-0 ahead but for a fine Jackson Smith save to keep out Stephen Wearne's effort from the edge of the box.

Returning striker Max Dean had been missing for nearly two months a Stadium MK, but his comeback, ten minutes into the second-half would tip the game on it's head in a stunning 25-minute spell. Within a couple of minutes of coming on, replacing the excellent Tezgel, he was upended by keeper Jackson Smith to win a penalty, which he duly converted to double Dons' lead.

He then slid Gilbey through only for the skipper to fire wide, but then repeated the feat again a couple of minutes later for Gilbey to punch home his 11th goal of the campaign on 63 minutes.

Dean would turn provider for the second time 12 minutes later when he put Joe Tomlinson through for his sixth goal of the season, and his first since early February.

The 20-year-old would round out his specatular performance with a real poacher's goal, prodding in from under the keeper's nose after Cameron Norman nodded down Lewis Bate's corner.

Referee: Ed Duckworth

Attendance: 8,121 (1,513)

MK Dons: Kelly, Norman, O'Hora, Harvie (Lewington 69), Tomlinson, Lofthouse, Payne (Robson 55), Bate (William 76), Gilbey, Wearne (Kemp 69), Tezgel (Dean 55)

Subs not used: Marschall, Harrison

Walsall: Smith, Okagbue, L Gordon, Daniels (Oteh 65), Hutchinson, Comley (Matt 65), J Gordon (Johnson 75), Allen, Faal (Tierney 46), Stirk, Adegboyega

Subs not used: Evans, Farquharson, James-Taylor

Booked: Gordon