Evans penalty enough for Rovers to claim win over dismal Dons

Chants of ‘you’re not fit to wear the shirt’ ringing out from the Cowshed as MK Dons turned in yet another dismal performance at Stadium MK on Tuesday night, losing 1-0 to Bristol Rovers.

Antony Evans’ penalty with 15 minutes to go secured the win for Rovers as they claimed back-to-back wins, but they were hardly troubled by a Dons side who mustered just one effort on target all night - a tame Bradley Johnson header early in the second half.

The result keeps Dons 22nd in the division, as the displeasure from the supporters grows ever louder.

Dawson Devoy's three-match suspension force Liam Manning into changing the side which lost at the weekend to Shrewsbury, but there were four in total to the side. Back came skipper Dean Lewington in the centre of the defence, while Bradley Johnson, Matt Smith and Josh Kayode also came in for Jack Tucker, Darragh Burns, Matt Dennis and the suspended Devoy.

With both sides struggling at the start of this season, it did not make for an exciting opening 45 minutes, with both effectively cancelling each other out.

Chances were few and far between, and neither side were really inteh ascendency enough to warrant a solid and sustained period of pressure.

The best the sparse crowd came to a goal in the first half came in the closing stages when Aaron Collins' cross was palmed out of Ryan Loft's reach by Dons stopper Jamie Cumming, while at the other end, the hosts had a flurry of activity in stoppage time which amounted to a Matt Smith volley blocked at source on the edge of the box.

The second half threatened to be better for Dons in the opening exchanges when Johnson headed Harvie's cross on target, but it would be as good as it got for the home side as yet another torrid evening got worse.

Rovers, who picked up only their second win since August on Saturday, began to turn the screw. Ryan Loft and Lewis Gibson both forced good saves from Cumming, while Jordan Rossiter had the keeper at full stretch with an effort which fizzed just wide.

With a goal-less draw on the cards, Dons' luck would go again them once more when Johnson sent Loft tumbling in the penalty area with 15 minutes to go, allowing substitute Antony Evans to send Cumming the wrong way from the spot to win it for the away side.

Referee: Scott Oldham

Attendance: 6,466

MK Dons: Cumming, Lewington, O'Hora, Jules, Harvie, Oyegoke, McEachran (Robson 71), Johnson, Smith (Barry 80), Kayode (Dennis 59), Grigg

Subs not used: Ravozzili, Tucker, Holland, Grant

Bristol Rovers: Belshaw, Gordon, Collins (Anderson 83), Rossiter, Coutts, Gibson, Loft, McCormick (Finley 62), Gibbons (Hoole 71), Thomas, Coburn (Evans 71)

Subs not used: Jaakkola, Jasper, Clarke

Booked: Collins, Harvie, Thomas, Jules, Robson