League Two: Accrington Stanley 0-2 MK Dons

Two clinical first-half goals from Ben Wiles and Aaron Collins ensured MK Dons saw past in-form Accrington Stanley at the Wham Stadium on Saturday.

Wiles turned on the jets to burst onto Callum Paterson’s flick on to roll in the opener on 14 minutes before Collins’ fifth of the season came deep into first-half stoppage time, firing home Jon Mellish’s pinpoint pass.

The result keeps Dons fifth in League Two ahead of their home game against Shrewsbury Town next Saturday.

After signing on Thursday from Derby County, defender Curtis Nelson went straight into the side to face Accrington as one of five changes to the side which lost on penalties to Oxford United in the FA Cup eight days prior.

Captain Alex Gilbey returned after three games out, while Callum Paterson, Liam Kelly and Jon Mellish also came back into the side, with Aaron Nemane, Connor Lemonheigh-Evans, Dan Crowley and Scott Hogan all dropping to the bench.

Accrington’s league position, 14th at the start of play, was deceptive with the hosts having lost just twice in 11 games ahead of kick-off.

And they looked the more likely to trouble the scorers early on when Shaun Whalley and Donald Love both tested Craig MacGillivray in the Dons net, though veteran Whalley would see himself into the book for a poor dive as he skipped over Aaron Collins’ challenge.

Barely having a foothold in the game, let alone a chance, Dons took the lead after 14 minutes when Callum Paterson’s flick caught the Stanley defence on the hop, allowing Ben Wiles to race clear and slot coolly under keeper Ollie Wright.

Returning Gilbey was showing no signs of his groin injury which kept him out since December, but a punch to the face from keeper Wright as they challenged for a free-kick saw the skipper twice needing treatment, amassing a lot of stoppage time at the end of the half.

Stanley looked the more capable of finding the equaliser but Isaac Sinclair could only sting the gloves of MacGillivray, while Whalley again fired wide of the mark.

And the stoppage time at the end would come in handy for Dons as they doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time. Paterson again won the header, nodding down into the path of Jon Mellish to slide in Collins to double the advantage.

The second-half started much in the same manner as the first, with Accrington looking to take the game to the visitors and potentially expose a soft underbelly.

But when they made changes on the hour, so did Stanley’s approach. Opting to go direct for veteran striker Paddy Madden played into the hands of Jack Sanders and the excellent Nelson as they kept the home side at arm’s length for the rest of the afternoon.

The better chances fell to Dons in the second-half, with Scott Hogan heading wide, Jon Mellish skidding an effort just past the post and Paterson crashing a volley against the bar out of nowhere, but their first-half efforts were enough to see them claim the points.

Referee: Ross Martin

Attendance: 2006 (325)

Accrington Stanley: Wright, Love, Whalley, Henderson (Caton 60), Sinclair, Ward, Matthews, Conneely (Grant 75), Heath, O’Brien (Brown 75), Woods (Madden 60)

Subs not used: Kelly, Sass, Rawson

MK Dons: MacGillivray, Offord, Sanders, Nelson, Mellish, Jones, Kelly (Matete 76), Wiles (Lemonheigh-Evans 65) , Gilbey, Collins (Hogan 65), Paterson

Subs not used: Trueman, Crowley, Nemane, Ekpiteta, Matete

Booked: Whalley, Kelly, Matthews, Hogan