Midweek win lifted a weight off shoulders of Dons players

The 59 days between MK Dons victories saw a lot of drama and change, but Mike Williamson said he has felt a weight being lifted from the dressing room this week.

Tuesday’s dominant 4-1 win over Bradford City was Dons’ first since their 2-1 triumph over Doncaster Rovers in late August, and was the club’s biggest home win since November 2021 when they beat Cambridge United by the same score in League One.

Perhaps most crucially, it ended a nine game win-less run in League Two, a run which saw the club drop to their lowest ever position - 18th in the fourth tier - since it was formed in 2004.

While the run cost former boss Graham Alexander his job after just 142 days in charge, the first win under Williamson brought a fresh air into the dressing room, according to the new head coach.

“You could feel the weight being lifted for everyone at the club,” he said. “We felt it when we came in, the club were going through a change and you could sense the air of uncertainty. There was also disappointment after that first game, but we went back to work, focussed again and got their rewards on Tuesday.

“I could see the enjoyment they took from it, and you can see the spirit is there. We want them to believe in themselves and in what we're doing, and keep building on it.”

While he encouraged his players to enjoy their successes on Tuesday, Williamson said there was little time to do so with tomorrow’s game against Swindon Town on the horizon.

He added: “It was nice in the moment, but confidence and momentum can change with the click of a finger.

“For us, we reset whether you've won seven on the bounce, or lost them. The most important game is the next one. It's easier said than done, because it's human nature to be disappointed after losses, or enjoying and relaxing after a win.

“But you have to find the middle ground.”