Harrison scores late to beat Colchester on Lewington's landmark day

Ellis Harrison scored an 89th minute winner to lift MK Dons into the play-off spots with a 1-0 win over Colchester United at Stadium MK on Boxing Day.

In a game dominated by the home side, with 27 shots on goal, it needed the Welshman to come off the bench to prod home his third goal of the season at the death to win their third game in a row and with it move up to seventh in the table.

Making one change from Saturday's win over Morecambe, with Jonathan Leko replacing Conor Grant, all eyes were on Dean Lewington as the MK Dons skipper made his 771st league appearance for MK Dons - a new EFL record for a single club.

The opening half may have remained goal-less but it was one which Dons really should have been out of sight in by the time referee Alex Chilowicz blew for the break. Max Dean had five sights of goal, but could not find the net for his 12th of the campaign.

Alex Gilbey too, who carved his career at Colchester, should have given the hosts the lead when he was put through, denied by Owen Goodman at the first attempt, and then the second too which dropped back to the Dons midfielder.

Leko was having an impactful return to the side, almost getting onto the end of Jack Payne's neat ball over the top, before opting to go it alone down on the byline when he had Dean and Gilbey in support, denied again by Goodman before Joe Tomlinson hit the post with the follow-up.

Of all Dean's chances, his strike in the third minute of four added on would be the closest, chopping back onto his right-foot on the edge of the box, bending the ball out of Goodman's reach, but also beyond the upright.

Colchester meanwhile could only test Craig MacGillivray once with a neat counter-attack, but Chey Cooper's effort was never troubling the Dons stopper.

It would be more of the same in the second-half as Dons saw chance after chance go begging. Cam Norman should have opened his Dons scoring account when he got on the end of Leko's cross but failed to hit the target - and that would nearly be the story of the game.

Dean and Gilbey would chip away and grind to no avail, while Jack Payne put in nine corners without success. MJ Williams too would roam forwards from centre back, but his radar was out too and he fired high into the stands.

Colchester played patiently though, and nearly caught Dons twice on the counter, but Joe Taylor fired straight at Craig MacGillivray before substitute Al-Amin Kazeem sent and effort well over the bar.

With time ticking down, Dons would finally get their reward. Payne's free-kick, won by Lewington down on the right-hand touchline, picked out Ellis Harrison at the back post to poke home his third goal of the season, breaking Colchester hearts while lifting Dons into the play-off spots.

Referee: Alex Chilowcz

Attendance: 6,355 (552)

MK Dons: MacGillivray, O'Hora, Williams, Lewington, Norman (Harrison 79), Tomlinson, Robson, Payne, Gilbey, Leko (Eisa 69), Dean

Subs not used: Kelly, Grant, Smith, Devoy, Tripp

Colchester United: Goodman, Iandolo (Akinde 69), Hall (Greenidge 84), Chilvers, McGeehan, Mitchell, Read, Egbo (Dallison 24), Taylor (Kazeem 69), Cooper (Hopper 84), Fevrier.

Subs not used: Hornby, Jayt

Booked: Williams, Payne, Read, Dean