Frustrating start to the New Year as Dons are held by Gillingham

It was a frustrating start to 2022 for MK Dons as they were met with a stern defensive display from relegation strugglers Gillingham, who held them to a 0-0 draw at Stadium MK.

Having two thirds of possession throughout the New Year’s Day clash meant little as Dons struggled to break down the deep-lying Gills, who stopped a six-match losing streak. With neither keeper really tested, Scott Twine and Matt O’Riley both came close with second half efforts to no avail.

Liam Manning made one change to his side which beat Lincoln City last time out on Boxing Day, as Troy Parrott returned to the starting line up at the expense of Hiram Boateng, who dropped to the bench.

Gillingham had lost six in a row prior to kick-off and Dons were eager to make it seven. After a patchy opening 20 minutes for Dons, which saw them match up with the Gills, they began to get on top thereafter but were hampered by Gillingham's deep defending.

Scott Twine, Mo Eisa, Matt O'Riley and Harry Darling all had efforts blocked by some brave bodies being thrown in the line of fire, while the unlikely sight of Warren O'Hora having a go from 25-yards went over the top of Jamie Cummings' bar.

Despite a fairly innoccuous feel to the game, there were some crunching tackles thrown in for good measure, with both Daniel Harvie and Mustapha Carayol shown yellow cards in the first half for reckless challenges in front of the visitors' bench, which had Gills boss Steve Evans red-faced with rage - earning him a talking to from referee Charles Breakspear.

The second half followed a similarly frustrating pattern as Dons had the ball and the control of the game, but could not break down the blue wall in front of them. When they did threaten to penetrate, the crowd grew restless as neither Parrott nor Eisa seemed on the same page as each other as chances to shoot went begging, while Twine found himself smothered out too.

With the introduction of Ethan Robson, David Kasumu and later Charlie Brown, Dons threatened late on, with O'Riley fizzing a strike just wide while Twine attempted one from 25 yards which keeper Cumming did well to punch behind.

The result kept Dons in seventh, slipping four points adrift of the play-offs.

Referee: Charles Breakspear

Attendance: 7,899

MK Dons: Fisher, Lewingon, O'Hora, Darling, Harvie, Kioso, McEachran (Kasumu 72), O'Riley, Twine, Parrott (Brown 85), Eisa (Robson 64)

Subs not used: Ravizzoli, Watson, Jules, Boateng

Gillingham: Cumming, Jackson, O'Keefe, Ehmer, Tucker, McKenzie, Lloyd (Reeves ), Bennett, Oliver (Tutonda 63), Phillips, Carayol

Subs not used: Chapman, Dempsey, Lee, Sitole, Lintott

Booked: McKenzie, Harvie, Carayol, Ehmer