Trophy campaign ends with defeat to Leyton Orient

MK Dons bowed out of the Bristol Street Motors Trophy with a 3-1 defeat to Leyton Orient on Tuesday night.

The League One side were gifted the opener after just six minutes when Jack Tucker had his pocket picked by Charlie Kelman, before Sonny Perkins beat Nathan Harness to make it 2-0 after 21 minutes.

While Callum Hendry’s excellent strike pulled one back for Dons, it was a disappointing night for Scott Lindsey’s side, who failed to take control of the game, albeit against higher league opposition, as substitute Dan Agyei netted in stoppage time to make sure of the O’s progression into the next round.

As expected, MK Dons made 11 changes to the side which faced Swindon Town in the league on Saturday. Goalkeeper Nathan Harness made his first outing under Scott Lindsey, while Joe Pritchard was making only his second start for the club since signing in the summer from Accrington Stanley. Connor Lemonheigh-Evans returned following his suspension, while youngsters Charlie Stirland and Albert Wood were also given starts.

After conceding after 17 seconds on Saturday, Dons' second-string waited until the sixth minute to do the same, but it came in disastrous fashion for Jack Tucker. Passed the ball on the edge of his penalty area, the defender was caught napping by the dangerous Charlie Kelman, who nicked the ball from under his foot to roll the opener past a hapless Harness.

A divisions difference between the sides looked as though it was on full display as the visitors carved through Dons in the opening half an hour, but much of their dominance could have been attributed to a poor showing from the home side. Unable to pick a pass or garner any sort of control, it was of little surprise when Sonny Perkins beat the offside trap in behind Dean Lewington to round Harness for Orient's second on 20 minutes.

But a cracking effort from Callum Hendry 12 minutes later seemed to spark Dons into life. Picking up the ball from the right flank, Hendry took aim from the corner of the penalty area, sailing the ball past keeper Zach Hemming into the top corner.

From there, Dons looked the more likely to add to the scoring, with Brooklyn Ilunga firing into the side-netting before Hendry forced Hemming into a good save from a long-range free-kick on the stroke of half-time.

The break though scuppered Dons' momentum, and the second-half was something of a slog. While Tommy Leigh came close with a curling effort, which he should have hit the target with at least, chances were few and far between.

Hendry proved to be a touch of class at times for Lindsey's side as he teed up Albert Wood for a strike which was deflected, but that was about as close as Dons would come.

With Dons headed for the exit, Dan Agyei somehow skied a simple chance from inside six yards in stoppage time, but a minute later netted a harder chance for the O's, his solo crusade after picking the ball up 35-yards from goal finished off as he slid the ball under Harness.

Referee: Thomas Parsons

Attendance: 1,127 (193)

MK Dons: Harness, Lewington, Tucker, Stirland, Ilunga, Wood (Brammeld 85), Lemonheigh-Evans, Pritchard, Leigh, Hendry, Harrison

Subs not used: Stacey, Lewis-Burgess, SIlver, Sinclair-Linton, Troso, Medwynter

Leyton Orient: Hemming, James, Happe, Cooper, Graham (Jaiyesimi 57), Currie, Warrington (Pratley 67), Donley (Agyei 67), Perkins (O'Neil 57), Kelman, Obiero (Sweeney 77)

Subs not used: Phillips, Beckles

Booked: Hendry, James, Lewington, Lindsey, Obiero, Happe, Hemming, Wood