League One: MK Dons 4-1 Bromley

An Aaron Collins brace inspired MK Dons to a comfortable 4-1 win over Bromley.

The Welshman netted his 11th goal of the season shortly before half-time at Stadium MK but saw his goal cancelled out by a deflected Mitch Pinnock free-kick in stoppage time.

Unfazed though, Collins would then benefit from a deflection himself with his second of the game on 62 minutes to restore Dons’ lead before Alex Gilbey and a cracker from Charlie Goode made sure.

It is a win which moved Dons into the higher reaches of the League One table, now 14th, sandwiched between Stevenage and Wycombe Wanderers.

After winning on the road for the first time this season on Saturday, Paul Warne opted to recall Ibrahim Fullah to the midfield at the expense of Dan Crowley for the visit of Bromley.

This fixture six months ago was one which threatened to decide the winner of the League Two title, but this time around it was one which was being fought at the wrong end of League One.

After their win against Stevenage on Saturday, Dons sought to make it back-to-back wins for the first time this season and looked the better of the sides for the majority of the opening 45 minutes.

Much like against Blackpool a week earlier though, their finishing left a lot to be desired. Sam Nombe, fresh from his first league goal of the season, squandered a brilliant one-on-one chance after 17 minutes when he fired his effort into keeper Grant Smith. The shot-stopper did well to then deny Aaron Collins after he touched Alex Gilbey’s wayward effort on target, but the pair would combine six minutes before the break to give the hosts the lead.

The captain’s chip into the box caught the Bromley defence on the hop, waiting for an offside flag which did not come as Collins flicked home his 11th goal of the season from six yards out.

Looking good value for their lead heading in at the break, Charlie Goode wrestled Omar Sowunmi to the deck on the edge of the box heading into stoppage time, and it allowed Mitch Pinnock to fire low, taking a big deflection off Goode again to send Will Dennis the wrong way, equalising for the Ravens on the stroke of half-time.

It would not derail Dons though as they put the League Two champions to the sword in the second-half.

Collins would get his 12th of the season just after the hour, when he picked the pocket to break down the right, cut inside onto his right foot and, just like the equaliser, a wicked deflection sent it beyond the keeper’s dive.

Half-time substitution Ben Wiles was seeing a lot of the ball down the right flank and he played a key role as Dons made it 3-1 nine minutes later when his cross found skipper Alex Gilbey to head home from 12 yards.

It got even better for Dons as they hammered home a killer blow with 11 minutes to go when Collins pulled back for Goode to rattle home from the edge of the box to make it 4-1 and secure back-to-back wins for the first time this season.

Referee: Scott Jackson

Attendance: 6,415

MK Dons: Dennis, Ekpiteta, Sanders, Goode, Campbell (Bramall 85), Silvera (G Jones 85), Fullah (Wiles 46), Wintle, Gilbey (Barlaser 85), Nombe (Paterson 78), Collins

Subs not used: Stacey, Crowley

Bromley: Smith, Sowunmi, Saville, Cheek, Pinnock, Ifill (J Jones 61), Hondermarck (McKiernan 61), Adeboyejo (Kabamba 75), Grant, Conteh (Thompson 75), Jackson

Subs not used: Mason, Whitely, Miller

Booked: Grant, Paterson, McKiernan