Four in a row for Dons as they squeeze past Colchester

A Matt Macey own goal was enough to secure MK Dons a fourth win in a row as they beat Colchester United to move back within two points of top spot.

The U’s goalkeeper was unfortunate to see Ben Wiles’ 39th minute header come back off the bar, and then Aaron Collins somehow hit the post from close range with the rebound hitting the stopper before it rolled in.

In a game void of chances, and quality for spells too, it proved to be the difference as Dons picked up another win in their quest for automatic promotion, now 14 games unbeaten.

After winning their third game in a row on Saturday, beating Swindon Town, Paul Warne named an unchanged side to face Colchester at Stadium MK, with an unchanged bench too, meaning injured duo Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Will Collar are still waiting on making their comebacks.

From the off, Dons looked by far the better side than their visitors, with the U’s barely touching the ball in the opening ten minutes as the home side took control. Passing crisply, it was only the final ball which was letting them down from out wide.

Colchester were perhaps lucky to keep all 11 men on the field when Samson Tovide appeared to elbow Jack Sanders in the face, but escaped with just a booking.

Dons though would look to force the issue, and skipper Alex Gilbey, who had netted in each of his last two, clattered the bar from a well-worked move after 16 minutes.

They would hit the bar again towards the end of the half, and it would lead to the only goal of the first-half. Ben Wiles’ header came from a long way out, and looped over keeper Matt Macey, coming back off the frame. With Aaron Collins poised to score, he somehow hit the post, with the ball then bouncing off Macey and into the net to send Dons in ahead at the break.

The goal was an ugly one, and it reflected in the way the second-half played out. Colchester emerged looking far more capable than they did in the first, and had Dons on the relative racks for long spells but despite their pressure, keeper Craig MacGillivray was largely untested.

Neither side really looked like adding to the scoreline, with substitute Jack Payne coming close with a couple of efforts but both were off target as Dons claimed their fourth win in a row.

Referee: Sam Mulhall

Attendance: 6,285

MK Dons: MacGillivray, Ekpiteta, Sanders, Offord, Mellish, Jones (Nemane 88), Crowley (Hogan 61), Wiles (Nelson 70), Kelly (Lemonheigh-Evans 88), Gilbey, Collins (Hepburn-Murphy 70)

Subs not used: Trueman, Tomlinson

Colchester United: Macey, Hunt (Payne 64), Tucker, Flanagan, Anderson (Williams 72), Tovide (Goodwin 64), Lisbie (Edwards 72), Read, Barbrook (Akachukwu 72), Vincent-Young, Terry

Subs not used: Gape, Back

Booked: Lisbie, Tovid, Crowley, Sanders, Flanagan, Payne