Powell’s late first-half header secures the win for Stockport as Dons suffer defeat

Nick Powell’s header on the stroke of half-time ensured MK Dons suffered their first home defeat of the League Two season on Saturday, going down 2-1 to Stockport County.

The curse of the former player reared it’s ugly head once again in the form of Louie Barry as he bent home his fifth goal in five league games for County after 18 minutes, before Mo Eisa netted his fifth of the season too eight minutes later.

He should have put Dons into the lead but struck the post from close range as the game appeared to be heading into half-time all-square, only for Powell to ghost in between Cameron Norman and Warren O’Hora to head in what turned out to be the winner.

Mo Eisa returned to the side after missing the two previous games with a foot injury, taking place of Max Dean up front. The teenager returned to the subs bench after making his first start last week.

In the Stockport ranks, former Dons loanee Louie Barry started up front, with four goals in his previous five games, and it soon became five in six as he fired Stockport ahead after 18 minutes.

A defence splitting ball from Ibou Touray picked out the Aston Villa man, who had time and space to pick his spot as he bent the ball past Craig MacGillivray to open the scoring.

Prior to that, it was a game of few chances, with only really a Cameron Norman effort saved by Ben Hinchliffe of note.

Dons responded well though, and within eight minutes were level when Ethan Robson's deep cross found Tommy Smith, who headed back across goal for Eisa to prod in his fifth goal of the season.

He should have made it 2-1 12 minutes later when he was picked out by Dawson Devoy's brilliant pass, but somehow hit the post from close range.

Despite looking the more likely to score though, Dons would go in at the break trailing when Nick Powell burst in between Warren O'Hora and Cameron Norman's attentions to nod in Macauley Southam-Hales' cross in the second minute of stoppage time at the end of the first-half.

The second-half would be a familiar story to so many games at Stadium MK down the years - a lot of huff and puff but without the end product to get Dons back into it.

While Daniel Harvie fired into the side netting, it wasn to until Jack Payne's introduction with 25 minutes to go that the hosts began to look more of a threat. The Charlton loanee forced a good save from Hinchliffe with a strike from range as he almost single-handedly dragged Dons forwards in the latter stages.

Despite the intent though, Dons were simply unable to find the equaliser as they suffered their first home defeat of the campaign.

Referee: Ed Duckworth

Attendance: 7,085 (1,064)

MK Dons: MacGillivray, Tucker, O‘Hora, Smith, Harvie, Norman (Tonlinson 65), Devoy (Payne 65), Robson (Dean 65), Gilbey, Leko (Harrison 46), Eisa

Subs not used: Kelly, Lewington, Stewart

Stockport County: Hinchliffe, Touray, Horsfall, Southam-Hales, Sarcevic, Powell (Bailey 52), Pye, Croasdale, Barry (Wright 77), Olaofe

Subs not used: J Smith, Madden, Cotterill, Pond, Richardson

Booked: Robson, Smith, Gilbey, Barry, Harvie, Pye