League One: AFC Wimbledon 0-0 MK Dons

It was honours even in a feisty but well-mannered clash between AFC Wimbledon and MK Dons at Plough Lane on Thursday night.

Both sides had penalty appeals turned away in the first-half while Jayden Stockley could count himself lucky to remain on the pitch after a scrap with Alex Gilbey, though neither side could force the issue to find the breakthrough.

For Dons, it is now more than two weeks before they will play in the league again, but they still are left seeking their first win of the season, now having drawn six of seven in the division.

Taking on an AFC Wimbledon side yet to concede at home prior to the game, Paul Warne made one change to his side, handing a debut to Everton loanee Elijah Campbell his first appearance for Dons as they reverted to a back three again. Gethin Jones was the one to make way, named amongst the substitutes.

In typical fashion when it comes to the fixture, the atmosphere was bubbling at Plough Lane but the action on the pitch did not exactly match it.

With both sides knowing more was at stake than just three points, neither were able to built up much of a head of steam in the early exchanges, though it was the hosts who would have the better of the chances when they came. First, Callum Maycock blasted an effort over the bar before Steve Seddon forced a good save from keeper Will Dennis from close range.

As the visitors grew into it, they had chances of their own. Sam Nombe was proving a solid targetman again, and his turn and shot squirmed through the hands of AFC Wimbledon keeper Josef Bursik, but he got enough on it to put it over the top.

The Czech keeper did well to then deny Callum Paterson at the near post when the Scot was left unmarked to get to Campbell’s deep cross.

Both sides though will have felt aggrieved at half-time not to have had penalties. Curtis Nelson looked lucky not to be punished for handling the ball when he slipped over in the Dons box, while on the stroke of half-time at the other end, Dan Crowley appeared to be hauled to the ground as he shaped to shoot from just inside the 18-yard box just as referee Richard Eley blew for the break.

The second-half continued to be played on a knife-edge, but the home side were somewhat fortunate to have all 11 men on the pitch after Jayden Stockley was adjudged to have been fouled by his former Charlton team-mate Alex Gilbey, but he then pulled down the Dons skipper and grabbed him around the neck as he threw him to the ground again - both players were given a word by the official and allowed to continue.

Neither team had really gilt-edged chances but did come close to finding an opener. Stockley missed out on a Dujuan Richards cross at one end while Aaron Collins headed over at the other as the sides shook hands through gritted teeth at the end of a goal-less draw.

Referee: Richard Eley

Attendance: 7,960

AFC Wimbledon: Burski, Sessegnon, Seddon, Harrison (Richards 72), Maycock (Z Nelson 72), Stockley, Smith, Hippolyte, Sweeney, Ogundere

Subs not used: McDonnell, Simmonds, Yiadom, McNeilly, Sasu

MK Dons: Dennis, Campbell, Goode, C Nelson, Bramall, Crowley (Wiles 79), Wintle, Gilbey, Paterson, Collins (Fullah 79), Nombe

Subs not used: MacGillivray, Jones, Barlaser, Ekpiteta, Hepburn-Murphy

Booked: Paterson, Johnson, Bramall