REPORT: Lincoln City 2-1 MK Dons: Stoppage time winner for the Imps

Jason Shackell's 94th minute header ended MK Dons' undefeated start to League 2 as they once again let slip a lead to lose 2-1 to leaders Lincoln City.
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In a thrilling encounter, Rhys Healey fired Dons into the lead on 64 minutes before Shay McCartan's equaliser seven minutes later. With the game heading towards a draw though, Shakell got on the end of Bruno Andrade's deep corner in the final minute of four added on to snatch the win for the League 2 pace setters as Dons slumped into the bottom half of the table.

Paul Tisdale welcomed back Ouss Cisse and Ryan Watson to the side as he made two changes from last week's 1-1 draw with Forest Green Rovers. Kieran Agard and Baily Cargill missed out, dropping to the bench, with Chuks Aneke leading the line for the visitors.

As to be expected, the league leaders heading into the game started the livelier of the two sides and put the visitors under a lot of pressure but Dons steadily grew into the affair.

Jordan Houghton was playing a key role in the centre of the park, calming Dons as they rode the early storm. His driving run began a great move from Tisdale's side which almost allowed Cisse to fire in a thunderous volley from nearly 30 yards which bounced just wide.

Lee Nicholls twice needed to be alert to first deny Shay McCartan's header which required tipping the ball over the bar, while Harry Toffolo clever free kick didn't catch the keeper out as he scooped it up in the centre of the goal.

At the other end, Josh Vickers pulled off the save of the half on 27 minutes to keep out Ryan Watson's excellent strike from the edge of the box, arrowing for the bottom corner.

In an enthralling encounter, which swayed from end to end in the opening 45 minutes, both sides could have ended the half on top, with first the dangerous McCartan firing over after Jordan Moore-Taylor's rare mistake, and then Aneke heading straight at Vickers.

The second half continued in the same vein as the first as both sides went after it. Dons almost took a fortuitous lead when Alex Gilbey's fierce cross was nearly diverted into his own net by Michael Bostwick.

Gilbey made way for Rhys Healey, and the striker, on loan from Cardiff, did not take long to make his impact known. Racing on to a long ball over the top, Healey looked like he had taken it too far wide but struck a brilliant effort from a tight angle to beat Vickers and put the visitors into the lead on 64 minutes.

The home side would not be behind for long though, and McCartan, who had been a thorn in Dons' side all afternoon, would be the man to draw Lincoln level. Offered too much time to bring the ball down, McCartan lashed the ball home from just outside the six yard box, leaving Nicholls with no chance.

Healey would have the ball in the net minutes later, but was denied by the offside flag as both sides went for the win late in the day.

And it came for the home side deep into stoppage time as Jason Shackell headed home Bruno Andrade's corner at the far post.

Referee: Stuart Atwell

Attendance: 9322

Lincoln City: Vickers, O'Connor, Shackell, Pett, Andrade, Toffolo, Bostwick, McCartan (Mensah 78), Eardley, Anderson (Green 88), Akinde (Rhead 90)

Subs not used: Smith, Gordon, Chapman, Wilson

MK Dons: Nicholls, Walsh, Moore-Taylor, Williams, Brittain, Lewington, Houghton (Agard 57), Gilbey (Healey 57) , Watson, Cisse, Aneke (Sow 83)

Subs not used: Moore, Hancox, Simpson, Cargill

Booked: Houghton, Watson, Walsh, Lewington, Sow, O'Connor