Twine and Watters bag braces in comfortable Dons win

MK Dons were ruthless against Cambridge on Saturday, with Max Watters and Scott Twine bagging braces in a 4-1 win at Stadium MK

Two apiece for Scott Twine and Max Watters saw MK Dons put Cambridge United to the sword at Stadium MK on Saturday, running out 4-1 winners.

Dons raced into a 3-0 first-half lead with Twine getting his two and teeing up Watters to put the game to rest by the half-time whistle. Twine then put another on a plate for Watters as the striker fired home his fifth goal in four games, while a late Sam Smith effort nine minutes from time denied Dons a much-needed clean sheet.

The result saw Liam Manning’s side climb to fifth in League One.

Following Dons’ outbreak of Covid, Manning could welcome back the majority of his squad to the first team, and made three changes to the side which drew with Stevenage a week earlier. Peter Kioso, Daniel Harvie and David Kasumu all returned to the fold in place of Aden Baldwin, Brooklyn Ilunga and Troy Parrott.

The changes though immediately paid off as Dons put in one of their most dominant 45-minute performances of the season. Scott Twine had been going through something of a dry-spell in front of goal, having not scored since his hat-trick against Fleetwood at the end of September, but he would end the half with a brace, while Max Watters bagged his fourth in as many games.

Twine’s first came on 13 minutes, left unmarked in the centre of the goal to tap in Watters’ cross. The pair reversed roles 12 minutes later when Twine sent Watters through to fire across Dimitar Mitov to double Dons’ advantage.

Twine’s set-piece prowess then came to the fore for the fourth time this season as be bent home a wonderful free-kick 20-yards out, leaving Mitov with no chance as Dons netted for a third time in 36 minutes.

It could have been more too. Twine saw another effort saved low by Mitov, which O’Riley should have converted the rebound, while Watters also had a chance at the very end of the half to add Dons’ fourth of the afternoon.

After starting the second half brightly and looking for a fourth, Dons had a bit of a wobble which threatened to allow Cambridge a sniff of an unlikely comeback. They threatened to make it uncomfortable for Dons as they hemmed the home side into their own half for quarter of an hour or so, but their resolve was broken when Watters added his second of the game with 14 minutes to go. Twine again was the provider, intercepting a poor ball across the Cambridge defence, lifting Watters in behind for the striker to smash in Dons’ fourth.

Clean sheets have been a rare commodity though for Dons this season, with only three all term, and it was not to be again for the hosts as Cambridge got on the scoresheet with 10 minutes to go when George Williams’ ball into the box was converted by Sam Smith.

A late head-injury to Williams then saw the game play into the 100^th minute as Dons moved up to fifth.

Referee: Seb Stockbridge

Attendance: 9,904 (1,767)

MK Dons: Fisher, Lewington, O’Hora, Darling, Harvie, Kioso (Baldwin 80), Kasumu, O’Riley, McEachran (Robson 69), Twine, Watters

Subs not used: Ravizzoli, Watson, Eisa, Martin, Boateng

Cambridge United: Mitov, Williams, Iredale, Digby, Brophy, Ironside, Smith (May 83), Hoolahan, Okedina, Weir (Knibbs 83), Materson (Dunk 46)

Subs not used: McKenzie-Lyle, Davies, Simper, Worman

Booked: Okedina, Williams, Kasumu