Eisa’s free-kick earns Dons vital victory over Cambridge

Mo Eisa's brilliant free-kick secured MK Dons a vital three points in their battle against relegation on Saturday, beating Cambridge United 1-0.

The striker's ninth goal of the season, coming on 36 minutes, was a keeper - bending his set-piece over the wall and into the top corner just minutes after fellow drop zone strugglers Cambridge had a goal chalked off for offside.

Though low on out-and-out quality, Dons held on to claim their first home win on a Saturday afternoon of the season, and though it did not move them anywhere in the table - remaining 22nd - it halved the gap to safety to two points.

With Zak Jules suspended, Dean Lewington returned to the starting line-up for the first time since November after hamstring surgery, going straight into the side at centre-back. He was one of three changes to the side, with Conor Grant and Nathan Holland also returning as Jules, Bradley Johnson and Henry Lawrence missed out.

While both head coaches came out ahead of the game saying their sides needed to be on the front foot to chase the win, the game in fact played out exactly as it looked on paper - two teams second and third from bottom of League One.

There was little in the way of goal-mouth action, or indeed penalty area action but the return of Lewington in Dons' defence seemed to lift the crowd somewhat, as well as giving the backline an air of confidence and rigidity they has missed in recent months.

That same defence though almost gifted Cambridge the opener when Tennai Watson and Jack Tucker ran into each other to allow Jack Lankester the chance to bear down on goal, but the recovering Watson did well to get in front of the U's man to deny him.

Lankester then thought he had given Dons the lead when Shilow Tracey dropped a shoulder to side-step Lewington, teeing up his Cambridge team-mate to pick out the bottom corner. But after a glance between the officials, the linesman threw up his flag - Sam Smith adjudged to be in the eyeline of keeper Jamie Cumming and offside.

Licking their wounds still, Cambridge were made to pay the price when, after fouling Conor Grant on the edge of the box, Mo Eisa bent in a wonderful free-kick to put Dons in front on 36 minutes.

The goal gave the hosts a boost in the arm, and they began to press on for a second, but Eisa's attempt at the spectacular, with an overhead kick, fell just wide of the mark.

Defending a lead into the second-half, Dons started on shaky ground initially, giving away two cheap free-kicks right on the edge of the box in the first five minutes, but former Dons midfielder Conor McGrandles was unable to do anything with them.

Dons found their footing eventually, but were unable to make a breakthrough and get the second goal which would have made things so much more comfortable. Sullay Kaikai, Daniel Harvie and goal-scorer Eisa all had efforts which were bundled off-target by the Cambridge defence, while at the other end, Jamie Cumming needed to fly to his left to tip a long-range effort around the post.

Though hemmed in towards the end, Dons comfortably held on to claim only their ninth win of the season, and their first on a Saturday at Stadium MK all season.

Referee: Keith Stroud

Attendance: 11,298 (2,187)

MK Dons: Cumming, Watson, Lewington (Lawrence 66), Tucker, Harvie, Maghoma, Grant (Johnson 78), Devoy (McEachran 66), Holland (Grigg 60), Kaikai, Eisa (Dean 78)

Subs not used: Ravizzoli, Robson

Cambridge United: Mitov, Digby, Jones, Brophy, Smith, Lankester (O'Neil 59), Tracey (Ironside 59), R Bennett (Seddon 70), Morrion, McGrandles (Knibbs 59), L Bennett (Williams 70)

Subs not used: Mannion, Worman,

Booked: Jones, Smith, O'Neil