Victory was 'much-needed' as Dons see off league leaders Bromley

MK Dons head coach Paul Warne said he did not care how it came as long as his side got a much-needed win in their fight for League Two promotion, with it coming against the leaders on Saturday.

Nathaniel Mendez-Laing needed just 35 seconds of his first start since December to fire Dons into the lead before Ben Wiles, who had already hit the post, doubled their advantage on 17 minutes.

Jon Mellish was sent off midway through the second-half, before Marcus Ifill pulled one back for the Ravens as Dons clung on at the end to move within four points of the table-toppers, ending a run of four without a win for the hosts.

“It’s a big three points,” said Warne afterwards. “We needed a win however it came, whoever it was against, wherever it was. Fortunately it came here in front of 10,000 people against the best team in the league, so I’m pleased and exhausted. The last 15 minutes were tight and hard work.

“I’m really pleased with the performance, with the win and it sets us up nicely for the final three.”

It was a swashbuckling start to the game, with Mendez-Laing netting after a mistake from Mitch Pinnock saw the Guatemalan race clear and roll the ball past keeper Grant Smith. Dons could and should have been high and dry by half-time, with Wiles and Gethin Jones both coming close before the pair combined for the former to roll in Dons’ second.

Callum Paterson too had a couple of first-half opportunities which could have put the home side out of sight, but Bromley shook things up at the break, changing four players and their formation at the break to force the issue.

For the most part they didn’t though, creating pressure but not chances until Mellish was shown two bookings within a minute of one-another to get his marching orders.

Ifill’s strike through a crowd of players with 16 minutes to go put the game right on a knife-edge, with keeper Craig MacGillivray pulling off two excellent saves to keep Bromley at bay.

Warne continued: “In the first-half we were really good in possession. We created so many chances, and could have been four up, and I don’t think that flatters us. They made changes, four subs at the break and put it on us. They had a stern talking to at half-time and I think we rode the storm well.

“I don’t think I saw much to worry about apart from all the set-pieces coming in. The sending off was a massive turning point, and then when they score, you start to fear the worst and all your hard work coming undone. From there, it was about hanging in there.

“When they scored, my reaction was that if they were to get another, I’d be devastated, heartbroken.

“Their goal was hit sweetly, right into the one spot Craig couldn’t get to, and it compounded the fact we’d gone down to ten men and we still hadn’t sorted ourselves out. To play against them with ten men, they’ve got nothing to lose and they threw the kitchen sink and it made it difficult for us.

“We did well to ride the storm.”