Wasteful Dons made to pay by clinical Exeter City

Jevani Brown netted twice as Exeter City piled more misery on MK Dons with a 2-0 win at Stadium MK.

The Grecians picked up their first ever win in the new city, with Brown converting from the penalty spot after Zak Jules downed former Dons striker Sam Nombe on 37 minutes, before he rattled home his second with 24 minutes to go.

It remains tight at the bottom of the table, and despite others around them picking up points, Dons kept their noses out of the drop zone, but slip to 20th and stay out of the bottom four on goal difference.

After signing for the club this week, both Paris Maghoma and Sullay Kaikai came into the side to face Exeter City. Josh McEachran and Will Grigg made way, with Max Dean coming onto the bench following Matt Dennis' loan move to Sutton United on Friday.

It was a heartbreaking end to what was an otherwise good performance against Shrewsbury on Tuesday night, but Dons took up where they left off against Exeter City.

Beginning brightly, Dons hemmed Exeter into their own half for much of the opening half-an-hour, but once again it would be a frustrating afternoon in front of goal. Mo Eisa missed a glorious opportunity when he was slid in by Dawson Devoy on 20 minutes, but one-on-one with keeper Jokull Andresson, fired wide of the upright.

Daniel Harvie and Bradley Johnson both also missed the same post as the home side looked the more likely to score, but it would be the visitors who would score against the run of play to dampen the mood.

Former Dons striker Sam Nombe was sent through on goal by Jevani Brown, and his touch took the ball out of the reach of Zak Jules who send him sprawling in the box. Brown then did the business from the spot, sending Jamie Cumming the wrong way to give Exeter the lead seven minutes before the break.

With heads dropping, there was still time for Dons to miss another excellent chance to draw level, with Johnson heading agonisingly wide in first half stoppage time.

Dons would start the second-half with similar gusto as they did in the first, and were on the front foot for much of the opening exchanges but again, squandered their chances when they came along.

The best opening of the second period came when Devoy burst over the half-way line and slid in Maghoma but the midfielder looked unsure of his lines when he got into the penalty area, losing possession cheaply and letting the chance fizzle out.

And it would be another moment of indecision for Maghoma which would ultimately decide the game. Caught in possession in the middle of his own half, Maghoma lost the ball to Archie Collins who in turn found Brown, courtesy of a deflection off Devoy, who rattled the ball past Cumming to double the advantage.

Dons heads noticably dropped after that as the positivity was sucked out of Stadium MK. Neither Leko nor Kaikai could get any joy down either flank as Exeter shored up at the back, while the introductions of Conor Grant, and later Will Grigg and Max Dean did little to alter the course of the result.

Eisa's torrid afternoon continued into stoppage time when he was nodded through on goal by Grigg, but again failed to hit the target as Dons were resigned to another home defeat.

Referee: Andy Haines

MK Dons: Cumming, Tucker, Jules, Watson (Lawrence 89), Harvie, Maghoma, Johnson (McEachran 68), Devoy (Grant 68), Leko (Dean 77), Kaikai (Grigg 89), Eisa

Subs not used: Ravizzoli, Burns

Exeter City: Andresson, Caprice, Sparkes, Hartidge, Harper (Kite 77), Collins, Nombe (Mitchell 76), White (Stansfield 61), Brown (Chauke 90), Sweeney, Diabate

Subs not used: Lee, Aimson, Grounds

Booked: Brown, Devoy, Kaikai