Forwards end their Stadium MK droughts in win over Bolton

It has been a long time coming, but both Mo Eisa and Scott Twine finally ended their drought by scoring at Stadium MK on Saturday.

Eisa had been waiting for his first home goal since August when he struck against Accrington Stanley, but gave Dons the lead after 17 minutes against Bolton, while Scott Twine, who was waiting since his brace against Cambridge back in November, netted 15 minutes from the end to wrap up Dons’ third win in a week.

“I’m delighted they got the goals today,” said Liam Manning after Eisa’s ninth and Twine’s 14th goal of the term. “They're both hungry, ambitious and driven, they want to score and contribute, and rightly so.”

Bolton had picked up 25 points from a possible 30 prior to kick-off and were one of the form teams in European football, but Dons’ run has been equally impressive recently too, and immediately set about taking control of the game at Stadium MK.

Eisa’s goal came after Kaine Kesler-Hayden came close and Scott Twine had hit the post for the hosts, and though they came close when Adamou Bakayoko had a header tipped onto the bar by Jamie Cumming, the visitors did little to really threaten Dons’ goal.

Manning said: “We started really well, and in the first 20 minutes especially we really caused them some problems and got the goal. We've really improved at being hard to beat, owning the middle of the pitch and we've done that so well. From the front we defend, and from the back we attack.

“We knew it would be tough, they’re on a good run and they’ve got some threats. But starting well made them a little nervy. We went through, round and over them and that variation made them uncertain. And that comes from the players stepping up.

“Momentum is really important and both goals were really good. It's easy to forget how young we are, but they're playing beyond their years. We talk a lot about learning from experienced and they're all eager to improve.

“Credit goes to the players, it has been a tough week physically, with the travelling, the level of opposition and the demands of the game. They've been terrific.”