Shot-shy Dons disappoint Jackson in Charlton defeat

“If you don’t shoot, you don’t score,” said Mark Jackson stating the obvious - but it was the message he had for his MK Dons players following the disappinting 1-0 defeat to Charlton Athletic on Tuesday night.

The 6,600 in attendance had to wait 38 minutes before seeing the first shot in a game distinctly lacking quality from either side, but one which was ultimately settled by the odd goal.

Jack Payne’s 61st minute strike wrapped it up for the Addicks, fresh off a 6-0 thumping at the hands of Ipswich Town on Saturday, and with Dons shying away from chancing their arm in front of goal, it left their head coach with having to state the obvious to them.

He said: “It's been the story of our season - we've not scored enough goals.

“Last season, the club had an abundance of goals and attacking threat. We've got the players and the capabilities to do that, and tonight we had the territory to do that.

“But there's a reluctance to get our shots off, and we have to be better. If you don't shoot, you don't have a chance of scoring.”

“I’m very disappointed,” Jackson continued. “There were certain elements of the game that were ok, but we didn’t capitalise in the moments when we were on top. We had a few chances in the first-half to get shots away, but we didn’t make the keeper work enough.

“We started the second-half brightly but again, didn't work him enough and Charlton got back into the game. They controlled it, had sustained pressure and then we conceded.

“We've given teams something to hold on to in games recently, but today we couldn't get it over the line.”

With the defeat came the end of Dons’ seven game undefeated streak too, though results elsewhere meant the side remain 19th, three points clear of the bottom four heading into the final two weeks of the season.

“I've seen the results, and that's a bonus given the disappointment. We've got to brush ourselves down now, it's a time for reflection and learning for sure, and we have to come back again on Saturday.”