Play-off heartbreak again for Dons as they miss out on the final

MK Dons’ season ended in heartbreak at Stadium MK on Sunday night as, despite their best efforts and a 1-0 win, they could not overturn the first-leg deficit against Wycombe Wanderers.

Trailing 2-0 from the first leg, Dons threw everything they had at the Chairboys, hitting the bar as early as the first minute before Troy Parrott made the breakthrough on 25 minutes to give Dons a lifeline.

Despite coming close on countless occasions, a brilliant performance from Wycombe keeper David Stockdale kept Parrott, Scott Twine and Theo Corbeanu at bay as the visitors clung on to claim their spot in the play-off final.

Ater the 2-0 defeat to Adams Park three days ago, Liam Manning was forced into one change with suspended Josh McEachran sidelined, but made one other as David Kasumu dropped to the bench in favour Hiram Boateng and Theo Corbeanu to give Dons more attacking thrust.

And that thrust it certainly gave them as Dons bombarded Wycombe in the early stages as they sought a way into the tie. They thought they had found a way in as well as early as the first minute when Harry Darling headed against the bar from Scott Twine's corner.

Twine continued to force the issue for the hosts, having a couple of opportunities which curled just wide of David Stockdale's post, while Corbeanu, reintroduced to the side, got in behind a couple of times but his final product left a lot to be desired.

Troy Parrott had been fairly quiet in the opening 25 minutes but he was the man on hand to nod Dons in front. Getting onto the end of Boateng's cross, it took an eternity to bounce over the line but it gave Dons a bigger foothold in the game.

Twine had two free-kicks which troubled Stockdale, one in particular had the keeper scrambing to tip it over the bar, Parrott also skidded one just wide of the mark and Corbeanu twice had the keeper in action to keep the deficit to one as the hosts continue to force the issue.

Though the second half would be one-way traffic as it was in the first, it would ultimately end in heartbreak for Dons.

They threw everything at Wycombe as they sought out a decisive equalising goal, which would have sent the tie to extra time, but they were met with a stern Wycombe defence who more than earned their money on the night.

Stockdale made a tremendous stop to deny Corbeanu's effort which looked to be arrowing for the top corner, while Joe Jacobson's last-ditch tackle denied Parrott a second as he shaped to pull the trigger.

When Twine sent a free-kick over the bar in stoppage time, the writing was on the wall for Dons as Wycombe clung on to book their spot in the final later this month.

Referee: Thomas Bramall

Attendance: 13,012

MK Dons: Cumming, Lewington, O'Hora, Darling, Harvie (Watson 86), Kesler-Hayden (Kemp 85), Coventry, Boateng (Boateng 76), Corbeanu, Parrott, Twine

Subs not used: Ravizzoli, Smith, Kasumu, Baldwin

Wycombe Wanderers: Stockdale, Jacobson, Gape, Stewart, Tafazolli, Vokes, McCleary, Horgan (Wheeler 69), Obita, McCarthy (Grimmer 85), Scowen

Subs not used: Dickinson, Wing, Kaikai, Akinfenwa, Forino

Booked: Scowen, McCarthy, Jacobson