Grit, determination and character impress Lindsey as Dons beat Chesterfield

Scott Lindsey was delighted with MK Dons’ tenacity and dogged determination as they held on to win 2-1 at Chesterfield on New Year’s Day.

Leading 2-0 at the break thanks to well-taken efforts from Callum Hendry, making his first start since September, and Joe White adding his fifth of the season, Dons were on course to hand the Spireites only their second home defeat of the season.

But after Hendry missed a great chance to make it 3-0 early in the second-half, Darren Oldaker’s 76th minute free-kick forced the door back open for Chesterfield, who threw everything at Dons in the latter stages to no avail.

Dons ended their four-game win without a win, and though it was not as pretty as he would have wanted, Lindsey was delighted with his side’s character.

“We showed real character today, especially in the closing stages, a real togetherness, grittiness amongst the players. It's important and it can win you games alone, and can win you titles too.

“I didn't like a lot of our game today - bits of the first-half, but the second-half was more like a basketball game which doesn't suit us. We're a work in progress, we'll get better at that, but the character is the most important thing.

“(Chesterfield) have got dangerous players, and we sat in too deep at times, we gave them too much space at times but that's me nit-picking. When we had the ball, we had to be calmer. We didn't play our way today, but we've won it a different way.

“I'm a coach that wants performances, but I want them to show character to win as well.”

Having only lost once at the SMH Group Stadium this season, Lindsey said the victory is an important step in the right direction, after only picking up one point from a possible 12 heading into the game in Derbyshire.

He added: “With that stat alone, it's pleasing to have come here and done that. We have to be cleaner with the ball, we want to play the MK Way every week, but sometimes that doesn't happen. And when it doesn't happen, we've got to win other ways.

“We've got to press on now, win more games and get right back in there. We've got games in hand but we've got to win them.”