Rams win is one of the best for Robinson

MK Dons manager Karl Robinson during the Sky Bet Championship match between Derby County and Milton Keynes Dons at the iPro Stadium, Derby, England on 13 February 2016. Photo by Jon Hobley. PNL-160213-164944002

Jake Forster-Caskey’s 82nd minute free kick earned Dons only their second triumph away from stadium:mk this season, having beaten Rotherham 4-1 on opening day.

But while their previous win on the road fired them to the top of the Championship, given the calibre, or more the spending power, of Derby County, Robinson believes the win at the iPro Stadium is the most important.

“We’ve played one of the biggest teams in the league and we’re really proud of our achievements,” he said. “This could be one of the club’s best ever away wins.

“We’ve come to a club who are high-flying, spent £21 million in the summer. But we looked coached and we played with our hearts.

“But it’s up there as one of the best wins we’ve had away from home. The players have earned a day off for that.”

Although Dons took all three points away with them, Robinson said his side had to be patient, waiting for their chance to take advantage. Derby, who started the day fifth in the table, were relentless in their pressure, particularly in the second half, but struggled to get through a solid Dons defence.

Far from a typical MK Dons performance though, Robinson felt Dons executed their game plan well.

He said: “There were elements that played into our hands, but I’m not going to tell you we were fluent, elegant and classy. We were resolute, game-savvy and very good. Sometimes you have to relinquish your pride.

“My players looked like we wanted to work off a shape and had a game understanding of what to do. When they made their substitutes, we felt there was a chance for us to open it up.

“We knew going into these games, we knew we’d have to change. We didn’t change the style, just the way we had to approach it.

“We know what it’s like to be a strong team in a league and we had to chase wins last year. It was hard. It’s difficult when teams come and sit behind the ball.

“David Martin didn’t have a save to make. Sometimes we rode our luck against Middlesbrough, but we limited Derby’s chances. We got better as the game drew. Derby came out of the box firing.”