Important minutes under the belt for Dons in Brackley win

Dons were ahead after just five minutes through Jordan Houghton's strike, before Callum Brittain doubled the lead six minutes later. Gareth Dean pulled one back for the hosts with a good header from a corner, but Kieran Agard restored Dons' two goal cushion three minutes later. Second half strikes from Dylan Asonganyi and Sam Nombe put the game to rest, though the gulf in quality was plain to see from kick-off.

Dons' coach Butterfield was pleased his players put in a strong performance, but admitted there is little to glean from early pre-season games.

He said: "It was the first game we've had in front of fans, and it was a really good work out. It was a competitive game, and the intensity we played at will only build through pre-season.

"There is still plenty to work on. It's nice to have scored five goals ,and some nice goals too. We're not overly critical at this stage.

"We're not thinking about team selection, who is doing well in training and who is not, just about minutes. The plan today was always to split it 60-30, because some of the younger boys played over the weekend. The lads can see that, no-one is knocking on the door at the moment asking why they aren't playing."

The 1,010 fans at St James' Park got a glimpse of five MK Dons' new signings - Regan Poole, Hiram Boateng, Jordan Bowery, Joe Mason and watching on was Rhys Healey, having signed for the club on Tuesday evening.

Butterfield said Boateng, who played a part in both of Dons' opening goals and showed real quality in the midfield during the hour he was on the field, will only get better, while praising the other new signings as well.

"Hiram has looked bright all the way through pre-season, that's why we signed him," he said. "We know what he's capable of doing and he showed glimpses of that. He'll admit he can get fitter, will learn a bit more about his team-mates, but there were real positive signs from him and all the other players.

"I think there has to be a balance. We've got in a few new faces, and they have to understand how we play and that cannot be picked up through the games alone. Sometimes, bellowing things from the sidelines is not the instruction they need, but needs to be done on the training pitch. The plan, the games we have arranged is positive for us, and we'll continue to work on both.