Nobody enjoys watching MK Dons except chairman Winkelman, claims Gillingham boss

Gillingham manager Steve Evans felt MK Dons were given a hand by the referee in their 4-1 win at Priestfield, and said no-one enjoys watching them pass the ball around except chairman Pete Winkelman

Gillingham boss Steve Evans said Dons’ style of play ‘pleases nobody’ but chairman Pete Winkelman after his side were soundly beaten 4-1 at Priestfield on Saturday.

Dons had 84 per cent possession, 19 shots and 10 on target against the 10-men of Gillingham, with goals from Scott Twine, Peter Kioso, Troy Parrott and Max Watters putting the result beyond doubt.

While Dons have scored more goals than any other club in League One - 16 - thus far, Evans hit out at their style of play following his side’s defeat, saying only one person enjoys it.

He said: “They were playing 20 passes across the back and the halfway line, that pleases nobody but their chairman, he is the only one happy with it, that is not sour grapes, they ran out good winners but they have had some help along the way.

“We missed a couple of chances, they seemed to take theirs when they came and they had a bit of luck with the sending off, with the penalty, with the deflection for the third goal, they got a bit of luck from John (the referee) all over the day.”

Dons’ head coach Liam Manning admitted the red card for Stuart O’Keefe in the first half helped sway the game in their favour, but felt his side were still causing Dons problems.

“It was a game-changer,” said Evans. “We got a goal, we missed chances to get a second, Kyle Dempsey could have perhaps scored within the first couple of minutes of the game. It was end to end and when we went forward we were causing them problems.

“I have no complaints with the first yellow card for Stuart, but does the second one have to be a yellow? Is any contact a yellow? That made it really difficult for us.”