Still work to be done despite positive showing, says MK Dons coach

First-team coach Carl Magnay felt MK Dons had plenty to work on despite giving Championship side Plymouth Argyle a tough afternoon at Stadium MK.

While Dons were beaten 1-0 when they were caught out playing out from the back, the hosts were the side in the ascendency for the first hour of the game at MK1.

Starting a team which could very well be Mike Williamson’s pick when Dons face Bradford City in the first game of the season next week, Magnay admitted most of the 2,600+ supporters in attendance would have struggled to pick which was the Championship side, but admitted there were still screws to be tightened before kick-off next Saturday.

“We faced Championship opposition again so it was a big test for us,” he said. “There were lots of pleasing things to come from the game. From the first-half, you wouldn't have been able to identify which the Championship team was.

“In the second-half we allowed them to build up in their own half a it too much, the detail of our boys coming on could have been better and there were some tired bodies too. But there were loads of positives to take.

“We were a little bit off in terms of our out of possession detail but we had some good moments on the ball. Every player in the squad has the ability to slot in and play the way we want to and over the course of pre-season that's been very good.

“We need to be conscious in the game that when we sense a lift from the opposition, we need to match it. They stepped it up, must've had a real talking to at half-time and we need to be on the same wavelength as teams. But we want (the opposition) to step up because then we can play through them. Our mindset was just a little bit lower at the start of the second-half.”

One slight concern for Magnay was the lack of clear cut goal-scoring chances the side were able to create against Wayne Rooney’s second-tier Plymouth side. Teenager Callum Tripp had arguably the best opening when he got on the end of Callum Hendry’s excellent ball around the corner, but let the opportunity slip through his fingers at the vital moment to allow Conor Hazard to make the save.

Despite that though, Dons looked a real threat in the opening half, something which Magnay was pleased to see.

He continued: “It's nice to see those things come to fruition in a match. Some of the passages of play, we were just a fraction off breaking through and scoring.

“Trippy had a couple of opportunities and he did brilliantly getting there but he has a lack of familiarity in that final third. But he'll learn that. He's been tremendous in the two games against Championship opposition.”