Lewie warned MK Dons not to give ref a decision to make prior to red card

Dean Lewington had warned his MK Dons players that referee Simon Mather might look to level things up after he sent off Doncaster Rovers’ Harry Clifton in the first-half of the 1-1 draw at Stadium MK on Saturday. And so it turned out.

Clifton picked up two yellow cards in the opening ten minutes for almost identical fouls on Ellis Harrison just inside the Doncaster half - decisions Lewington felt were soft at best. Leading at the break through Harrison’s second goal of the season, poking home Aaron Nemane’s cross from close range, Lewington warned his players to be on their best behaviour and to not give the referee an easy opportunity to level things up.

But within seven minutes of the restart, Dons were then down to ten men themselves, with Harrison showing studs on Rovers skipper Owen Bailey, affording the referee little option but to show a second red card.

While Dons defended vehemently as Doncaster sought a way back into it, Tom Anderson’s 83rd minute header secured a share of the spoils for the visitors and dampened Dons’ day.

Interim manager Lewington said: “At half-time, we even said the two Doncaster yellows were a bit soft, and the referee would book so we had to be careful. We're disappointed with what happened. Five or ten years ago, it's a great tackle but times have changed.

“We didn't really recover or react well to the red card, and we didn't get out the box, we lost our way.

“I think we started really brightly, came out the traps and played well in the opening ten minutes. The red card obviously gave the game a different flow but I thought we managed it well and got the goal, so I was pleased at half-time. We over-complicated things a bit at times, but in the second-half the game changed again.”

Prior to the game, Lewington said he wanted more guts and gusto and the players certainly looked more incisive under the captain’s watch.

Lewington continiued: “In the final third, you can't score goals if you're slow and laboured. It's something we worked on on Friday, being quick and dynamic. It was a great goal too. Aaron is a nightmare to play against, he's quick, small and positive.

“I wanted some attitude and some fight, and we got that. Everything else we can work on, but I feel like that's the benchmark to have a go.”