REPORT: MK Dons 1-2 Charlton: Shot-shy Dons beaten again

Having gone 45 minutes without a shot against Oldham in the week, Dons trailed to Ahmed Kashi's long-range effort after just nine minutes, before Josh Magennis doubled Charlton's lead on the hour mark. Kieran Agard's header two minutes later only gave the home supporters scant hope, but in truth they hardly tested Addicks keeper Ben Amos.

The gap to League 1 safety remains six points.

After losing four in a row, Dan Micciche made four changes to the side which lost to Oldham in the week. Chuks Aneke was sidelined through injury and Ethan Ebanks-Landell was suspended, while Scott Wootton, and Ed Upson dropped to the bench in favour of Kieran Agard, Elliott Ward, Callum Brittain and Conor McGrandles.

Dons' hapless run saw them come into the game on the back of a miserable five game losing streak, and there was little to improve the mood when the home side played themselves into trouble and conspired to see them behind after just nine minutes. Neither Callum Brittain nor Ike Ugbo saw fit to clear their lines when in trouble on the right-hand side, and when the ball broke loose to Ahmed Kashi, the Algerian lashed the ball past Lee Nicholls from 20 yards to put Karl Robinson's side into the lead.

Having not registered a single shot in the second period against Oldham, Dons added the first half against Charlton to that list. After the goal, Charlton barley got out of second gear as the toothless Dons struggled to make any impact in the attacking third. Agard and Ugbo barely saw the ball, in their defence, but poor passing and no real cutting edge behind them only added to their frustrations.

Despite making a change at the break, introducing Ed Upson in place of McGrandles, Charlton could have wrapped the game up but Joe Aribo's effort came back off the upright as the Addicks cut through Dons with ease.

They wouldn't have to wait long before doubling their lead though, with Josh Magennis left with the simplest of headers, unmarked at the far post, to nod home Jake Forster-Caskey's cross on the hour mark.

Having had just one effort on goal until that point - a tame shot by Brittain - Dons somehow got back into the game when Agard headed past Amos after George Williams flicked on Robbie Muirhead's corner two minutes later.

And it seemed to spark them into life somewhat. With a sense they could get something from the game afterall, they began to attack with confidence. Tymon was beginning to have some joy on the left flank, and pulled a neat ball back for Robbie Muirhead which Amos gladly held to his chest.

The equaliser simply wasn't coming though, and in fact Charlton's winning margin could have been bigger had Nicholls not bailed out Upson's awful ball across the face of goal, which Magennis intercepted and only just failed to convert.

Ultimately, the defeat - Dons' sixth in a row and Micciche's fifth since taking over - leaves them six points from League 1 safety,

Referee: Roger East

Attendance: 8,961

MK Dons: Nicholls; Williams, Lewington, Ward; Brittain, Tymon; McGrandles (Upson 46), Cisse (Nesbitt 60), Muirhead; Agard, Ugbo

Subs not used: Sietsma, Wootton, Rasulo, Jackson, Thomas-Asante

Charlton Athletic: Amos, Solly, Konsa, Bauer (Pearce 67), Dasilva, Kashi, Forster-Caskey, Reeves (Marshall 74), Kaikai (Lennon 72), Aribo, Magennis

Subs not used: Phillips, Jackson, Ajose, Zyro

Booked: Kashi, Konsa, Upson