Players weren't preoccupied with AFC clash in lacklustre Rochdale draw

Dons twice had to come from behind to snatch a draw against Dale, who came to Stadium MK without a win in seven prior to kick off.

Manager Robbie Neilson said his side deserved to lose the game, despite Ben Reeves' stoppage time equaliser, but while Rochdale were the immediate threat, all the talk at the stadium was about Tuesday night's trip to Kingston.

Williams, an ever-present in the side since the arrival of manager Robbie Neilson in December, refused to blame the forthcoming trip for their drab performance, insisting he and his team-mates were fully focused on trying to beat Rochdale.

"We were focused on the game today, but we couldn't play to the best of our ability. We didn't have one eye on Tuesday," he said afterwards. "We take each game as it comes. We've got big games coming up, the big one on Tuesday, and we take it upon ourselves to motivate each other."

Neilson said his side deserved to lose to Rochdale, who twice took the lead at Stadium MK before being pegged back. Williams too admitted Dons were somewhat lucky to snatch a point.

He said: "We've been in games when we've deserved to have won but not, and today we might have been lucky, but we'll take it.

"I don't think we were at our best, I'm not sure why. In the first half we weren't good enoiugh, but we were a bit better in the second half.

"We've got quality in the team, and if we look to play football the way we do, I knew we'd have a chance of scoring. Even at 2-2, I felt if we had another chance, we could get a third. We've always got belief we can score.

"It was a really slow start, we weren't happy with the first half. We're under no illusions, we know it's not good enough but we move on to Tuesday and to win."

In the absence of suspended Dean Lewington and Darren Potter, who was left on the bench, Williams was handed the captain's armband for the second time this season after leading the side out at Bury on Valentine's Day.

But the defender said any sense of pride in leading the side was lost by the performance.

"I was proud to wear the armband but I was really disappointed in the way we played. I'd sooner take three points every day," he added. "We want as many points as we can get this season and we'll see where it leaves us."

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