Johnson rescues a point for Dons with late header against Burton

Bradley Johnson came off the bench to rescue a point for MK Dons against fellow strugglers Burton Albion at Stadium MK on Saturday.

A poor first-half was compounded for the hosts when Josh McEachran gave away his second penalty in as many games, downing Corrie Ndaba on 26 minutes for Victor Adebayejo to convert from the spot.

An improved second period did not look like bearing fruit for the hosts though, until Johnson came on with 11 minutes to go, nodding home Dawson Devoy’s corner four minutes later to secure a much-needed a point for Dons.

After their strong performance in the second half at Fratton Park last week in the defeat to Portsmouth, Liam Manning stuck to the side, making just one change - Conor Grant in for Bradley Johnson from the start.

That performance against Portsmouth though was a far cry from the one seen in the first-half from Dons. While the stats suggested a fairly entertaining opening period, with corners and shots, the game itself did little to warm those watching.

Neither keeper was too testingly called upon, and the tempo of the game looked slow and lethargic from both sides.

Two penalties were Dons' downfall as they were knocked out of the FA Cup last week, and just as he did down in Portsmouth, Josh McEachran mistimed a challenge in the penalty area - this time downing Corrie Ndaba - to concede a third. Victor Adeboyejo did the duties from the spot to fire Burton ahead on 29 minutes.

The sparse crowd were given little to cheer about in the run up to the break, delayed further by injuries to Daniel Harvie, Josh McEachran and Darragh Burns - the latter of which needed to be replaced before half-time by Louie Barry.

Mo Eisa's instrictive effort was Dons' best of the half five minutes before the break, but it was matched equally by Garratt.

The second-half looked more promising for the hosts but their frustrations in the final third would be the story of the game. Though they looked more threatening with Barry on the right-flank, the choice of final ball throughout the team was desperately lacking.

Dons' cause was not helped by referee Lee Swabey, who should have sent off Burton's Tyler Onyango for a late foul on Dawson Devoy, barely a minute after booking him for a similar foul on Nathan Holland. The midfielder was swiftly replaced by the Brewers.

Manning left his changes late, bringing on Will Grigg and Bradley Johnson in the closing stages and it gave the home side more of a threat, with the former heading wide before finally they made their breakthrough with six minutes to go. Having only been on the pitch four minutes, Johnson rose to meet Devoy's corner to find the bottom corner.

Sensing blood in the water, Dons threw the kitchen sink at Burton in the latter stages, with Barry firing over the bar and Harvie seeing a shot bravely blocked by the Burton back line.

Referee: Lee Swabey

Attendance: 6,073 (250)

MK Dons: Cumming, O'Hora, Tucker, Watson, Harvie, McEachran (Johnson 79), Grant (Grigg 73), Devoy, Holland, Burns (Barry 36), Eisa

Subs not used: Ravizzoli, Robson, Lawrence, Jules

Burton Albion: Garratt, Brayford, Borthwick-Jackson, Oshilaja, Hughes, Onyango (Gilligan 67), Adeboyejo, Ndaba, Taylor, Hamer, Kamwa

Subs not used: Sinisalo, Butcher, Keillor-Dunn, Smith, Lakin, Dodoo

Booked: Harvie, Onyango, Garratt