Late Wycombe goals dump Dons out of the Carabao Cup

Two Wycombe Wanderers goals late in the second-half saw MK Dons knocked out of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night.

After Mo Eisa hit the bar in the first-half and Brooklyn Ilunga fired over in the second at Stadium MK, Brandon Hanlan and Chris Forino struck for the League One side to ditch Dons out of the competition in the opening round.

After the win over Wrexham on Saturday, Graham Alexander made two changes to his side. Brooklyn Ilunga and Ash Hunter came into the side ahead of Tommy Smith and Ethan Robson, both substitutes. While Matt Dennis and Dean Lewington remained sidelined with injury, there was a return for Conor Grant who was also named on the bench.

Despite there being a division difference between the sides this term, there was very little to tell between the sides in the opening 45 minutes.

Dale Taylor twice had a sniff of goal early on for the visitors but struggled to hit the target, but as Dons' midfield machine picked up, the tide of the game began to sway in their favour. Jonathan Leko had an effort just wide and another fired over the top as he looked to add to his brace at Wrexham, while Alex Gilbey and Warren O'Hora both forced Max Stryjek into action with strikes from the edge of the box.

The home side certainly controlled the game for the majority of the half, and could count themselves unlucky not to go in ahead at the break after seeing Mo Eisa's fierce 25-yard strike clip the bar four minutes before half-time.

Wycombe looked a more potent unit heading into the second-half and caused more of an issue for the hosts. Daniel Harvie twice had to come to Dons' rescue, first clearing off the line before putting in a vital block to deflect another behind.

At the other end, Ilunga rushed his shot and lashed over the bar before he limped out with 20 minutes to go. From there though, Wycombe would seize control and progress into the next round.

Substitute Brandan Hanlan opened the scoring for the visitors with 17 minutes remaining, capitalising on MacGillivray's parry to lash into the net. Seven minutes later, defender Chris Forino's bullet header from a Wycombe corner doubled their advantage to put their name in the hat for Wednesday night's draw.

Dons continued to seek a way back into the game in stoppage time, with Gilbey coming closest seeing his strike from a tight angle deflected onto the bar.

Referee: James Bell

MK Dons: MacGillivray, Tucker, O'Hora, Harvie, Norman, Ilunga (Holland 70), Williams, Gilbey (c), Hunter (Robson 70), Leko, Eisa

Subs not used: Harness, Smith, Grant, Anker, Scholtz, Devoy

Wycombe Wanderers: Stryjek, Grimmer (c), Scowen (Leahy 65), Forino, Tafazolli (Keogh 77), Breckin (Hanlan 65), Vokes (De Barr 65), Boyes, Low, Potts, Taylor (Mellor 90)

Subs not used: Shala, Jacobson, Pattenden, Vincent-Young

Booked: Hunter, O'Hora, Tafazolli