Kelly's 'mad few hours' in goal for Dons as future remains in the air

Michael Kelly could be out of a job at the end of January, but after making his first league start in England, he hopes he can continue to get game time this season.

The MK Dons keeper signed on a short-term deal in September following injury to Nathan Harness, and aside from a handful of Bristol Street Motors Trophy games and an FA Cup outing, has been the back-up to Craig MacGillivray this season.

But after the Scot's proposed move to Stevenage did not come off, Kelly was handed the reins at Prenton Park on Saturday as Dons claimed a 2-1 win over Tranmere Rovers. Only beaten by a deflection off fellow Irishman Warren O'Hora after 13 minutes, Kelly had a solid afternoon between the posts in his first Football League game, seldom tested with a shot, but seeing plenty of the ball at his feet in typical Dons fashion.

With his current contract understood to be until the end of this month, Harness closing in on a return to full-fitness again and a potential move from Dons for Aston Villa youngster Filip Marschall to take over as custodian, Kelly hopes he has made enough of an impression to be given further opportunities.

When asked about his future, he said: "Hopefully more football, and games. I thoroughly enjoyed it, the fans were brilliant. I'm just putting my head down, working hard, that's what this group deserves. I won't add any fuel to any fires, I'll just keep working away."

On his debut, Kelly continued: "I found out in the morning. It was nice to hear, I've been working hard and enjoying my time at the club. There are great people here, and I hope we can all kick on now and see where it takes us. Hopefully, it will be an enjoyable season.

"It was a mad few hours. The important thing was coming away with the three points, and bouncing back after Doncaster. It's nice to have played my part, and contributed.

"It's always nice to win, it would have been nice to get a clean sheet, the points are all that matter."

He added: "(Warren) stuck his foot out and nine times out of ten it goes past the post, but if he doesn't put his foot out and it flies into the bottom corner, we're having the same conversation. I'll not be upset with him trying to block it.

"Outside of that, we controlled the game well. There was a period in the second-half when they got their tails up a bit. I had a quiet-ish game, but that's the style sometimes. If I have to be quiet for 89 minutes and only make one contribution, I'll take that."