Hard-work pays off for Parrott as his brace earns Dons victory

A brace for Troy Parrott was hugely popular at Stadium MK on Tuesday night. Waiting since October for his last strike, Parrott’s performances of late have been crying out for goal, and against Cheltenham, he got two.

Typically involved down the left-hand side early on in proceedings, linking up well with Kaine Kesler-Hayden, Parrott finally broke the duck on 26 minutes from the second phase at a corner. Kesler-Hayden’s trickery allowed him to flick the ball back out to Matt Smith, who found Parrott on the edge of the six-yard box to head into the top corner, earning a slightly louder roar from the home supporters who knew what it meant.

While Mo Eisa fired home his 11th of the season and 50th career goal just two minutes later, it would be Parrott’s second of the night, coming five minutes before the end, which would steal the headlines as he fired Dons to their fifth consecutive win.

“It was thoroughly deserved,” said head coach Liam Manning of Parrott. “He has worked so hard for the team recently. It's great to see him get the goals tonight.

“We've been consistent with him, telling him to keep doing what he's doing. He wants to contribute and score goals, but it's so much more than that. The front players set the tone defensively for us, and the quality he has and the way he works, the goals will come.”

Eisa too had suffered something of a drought in the middle of the season, but now has four goals in his last four starts.

Manning added: “Mo will score goals at this level, I've always said it. We have to keep his confidence in that sweet spot, he's cleaning up in and around the penalty area at the moment and he needs to keep doing it.”