Cambridge boss Neil Harris spoke after the 1-1 draw with MK Dons on Saturday

Neil Harris could not deny MK Dons deserved a share of the spoils despite it coming at the expense of his own side’s promotion hunt on Saturday.

Aaron Collins’ 95th minute penalty cancelled out Shayne Lavery’s 76th minute goal to draw 1-1 at the Abbey Stadium as second played third in League Two.

The former Millwall striker, now U’s boss, admitted Dons offered his side the toughest challenge of the season to date, and despite the disappointment to concede so late, he felt a draw with the right result.

“I can’t stand here and say we deserved to win the game, a draw is about right,” he said. “The game really suited them, they are the biggest team, the strongest we’ve seen at this level by a mile. There are about 15 players in their squad who would get in my starting 11. We have to respect that, and they’re a good side.

“They came with a plan to stop us and our set-piece threat, they pressed everything and stopped us playing and they were really effective. They had the best chance of the half with Hepburn-Murphy’s one-on-one.

“We had little pockets to play, and we deserved to go in front. But then Easty has made two fantastic saves in the closing stages.”

He continued: “There’s nothing more I can say to them about how good they were and how well they stood up to the physical challenge they threw at us. And there’s no positive I can say to make them feel better other than ‘well done, I’m proud of you’ because we stood up to it.

“That was easily our toughest challenge all season, from a physical standpoint, and in terms of quality as well. Ultimately, a draw is not far off the right result.

“Both sides had good chances, but it’s just a shame we conceded a 95th minute penalty. Is it a pen, is it not? If there’s contact, of course the lad is going to go over.

“But I’ve not got time to gripe over that, all we can do is focus on us, and look at it as another point gained at home. We’re another point towards where we want to be.”