"I didn't enjoy it one bit": Lindsey critical after Dons finally win back-to-back

Scott Lindsey did not enjoy MK Dons’ 2-1 win over Accrington Stanley on Tuesday night, despite the significance of the victory.

Not only was it the first time Lindsey was able to celebrate victory in front of the home fans at Stadium MK, it also ended a 32-week wait for back-to-back victories - something he said cannot happen again.

After the 3-1 win over Morecambe on Saturday, Alex Gilbey gave Dons a flying start as he scored his fourth of the season inside the opening minute, before Joe Tomlinson’s second in as many games doubled the advantage on 58 minutes. But when Josh Woods was left alone to pull one back for Accrington nine minutes later, the game, already a scrappy and messy affair, descended into chaos.

Ten players would end up in the book, Dons would look at sixes and sevens and Stanley would squander a handful of chances to draw level before the final whistle finally blew in the 100th minute.

Despite ending the wait since March for two wins on the spin, and picking up his first home win in charge, Lindsey said there was precious little to enjoy about the night.

“To be honest, I didn't enjoy the game one bit,” said the head coach. “We showed some character, but I don't think we played particularly well, we didn't control the game. Accrington made it difficult for us, and fair play to them, it became a scrap and a mess. But we bumbled over the line, so it is what it is.

“It has been 32 weeks since the club has won back-to-back games so it was important to put that right. That was the biggest task tonight. That cannot happen at a club this size. However we did it, it didn't matter.

“I'm pleased with how we started the game, but we didn't play any football in their half of the pitch in the first-half. We tried to play from deep, but we looked anxious in their half and rushed it. We were more controlled in the second-half until they scored but then it was out of control.”

Lindsey’s particular bug-bear came in the nine-minute spell between Tomlinson’s goal and Accrington pulling one back - a spell which the head coach felt should have been managed better to comfortable see out the closing stages.

He said: “We were only 2-0 up for nine minutes. I think if we'd held it at 2-0, we would have gone on to dominate the game. But we got done too easily down the left-hand side, a cross into the box and he's free - we're not man-for-man, we're not marking in the box. We have to do that better, and focus.

“When you're 2-0 up, just rest on the ball and dominate, but we didn't defend that moment well enough. At 2-1, it's out of control, it's not enjoyable to watch or to play in, and we're hanging in there to get over the line.”