Goal-scorer Marvin Ekpiteta has his eyes on the prize in the run-in

The magnitude of MK Dons’ win over Swindon Town on Saturday was not lost on Marvin Ekpiteta.

His goal 11 minutes from time at the County Ground secured a 2-1 win for Paul Warne’s side, moving them seven points clear of the chasing play-off pack, keeping Dons in second place and within touching distance of leaders Bromley now with single figures left to play.

Unbeaten since New Year’s Day, a run now stretching to 13 games and having won three games in a week, Ekpiteta, who scored in the midweek win over Gillingham too, has urged his team-mates not to let things slip now with the end goal so close.

“The win creates a little gap between us and fourth place now, so it is massive,” he said after the game at Swindon. “It sends out a statement that we’re relentless. We’ve won three on the bounce now, so it’s all good.

“Before the game, if someone asked if we’d take a point, we probably would have, but we want to win every game. And we pushed to the end to get it. Getting all three points is a different level.”

Discussing the game, he continued: “It was a really tough game, against some good forwards. They move the ball well, mix it up, going short and long. It was tough but we defended really well to keep them out. Macca made a really good save in the first-half to keep us in it.”

Captain Alex Gilbey also scored his second in a week to give Dons the lead before Ollie Clarke’s equaliser for Swindon threatened to share the spoils in Wiltshire. But Ekpiteta’s fourth goal of the season proved to be key.

He added: “It was nice to get another one, and it was nice to get the three points. It was scrappy, I tackled it in but they all count! It was a great cross from Wilesy, Scotty headed it back across and I was luckily there to tap it in. It’s always nice to get a winner.

“We’re always positive, man! We know we are going to get another chance, another goal. You can see that belief, we’ve just got to keep it up now.”