League Two: Bromley 2-1 MK Dons

Two goals in seven second-half minutes brought MK Dons’ unbeaten away run to an abrupt end as Bromley won 2-1 at the CopperJax Community Stadium, but the game was marred by an injury to Dons goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray.

Leading after just five minutes to Rushian Hepburn-Murphy’s fourth goal of the season, a collision between the shot-stopper and Ravens forward Nicke Kabamba forced the pair off, with MacGillivray leaving on a stretcher and taken to hospital during the first-half.

In a game which left did little to sate the appetite for football purists, Dons never really looked like adding to their lead.

But in truth neither did Bromley until two late goals from Deji Elerewe and Omar Sowunmi sealed the win for the hosts.

Illness struck Callum Paterson in the week leading up to the game in south London, meaning the striker had to drop to the bench, promoting Rushian Hepburn-Murphy to play ahead of Nathaniel Mendez-Laing.

And the pair combined with barely three minutes on the clock to give Dons an early lead once again. The Guatemalan international did well to get on the end of Hepburn-Murphy’s flick, crossing low for the ex-Crawley man to convert from close range.

Bromley are the division’s top-scorers from set-pieces and their game lent itself to winning them high up the pitch, trying to exploit their aerial threats. Despite thumping balls into the Dons area, the visitors looked more than a match for the troublesome duo of Nicke Kabamba and Michael Cheek.

While the game was an ugly scrap, the biggest talking point came after 20 minutes when Kabamba and Craig MacGillivray clashed heads in the air, both hitting the ground hard. While Kabamba got up under his own steam, MacGillivray needed lengthy treatment, with both forced off as a result, the Dons keeper doing so on a stretcher.

The set-piece onslaught continued for the home side but it would be Dons who would create the more dangerous chances, with Will Collar and Hepburn-Murphy both inches away from adding a second during the lengthy first-half stoppage time.

The second-half followed the same path as the first, with the home side looking to capitalise from set-pieces and big balls into the box but for the most part, it looked as though the visitors had enough to keep them at bay.

That was until 17 minutes to go when Deji Elerewe converted Brooklyn Ilunga’s cross to equalise past Connal Trueman.

The winner would then come seven minutes later as Sowunmi rose highest to nod into the corner to win it for the home side, bringing to an end Dons’ unbeaten away run.

Referee: Kirsty Dowle

Attendance:

Bromley: Smith, Elerewe, Charles, Showunmi, Cheek, Pinnock, Kabamba (Dinanga 23 (Cameron 85)), Honermarck (Whitely 74), Arthurs (B Thompson 74), Ifill (Ilunga 63), Odutayo

Subs not used: Long, Krauhaus

MK Dons: MacGillivray (Trueman 24), Offord, Sanders, Ekipteta, Mellish, Nemane, Kelly (Leko 85), Collar (Thompson-Sommers 79), Gilbey, Mendez-Laing, Hepburn-Murphy (Paterson 79)

Subs not used: Tomlinson, Crowley, Medwynter

Booked: Odutayo