REPORT: Dons 0-2 Bristol City: Dismal Dons defeated

Without a single shot on target, Dons negated all their hard work last Saturday in the 1-0 win over Derby, putting in a pitiful performance against a team they’re competing against relegation with.

Kodjia’s double, one either side of half time, was nothing more than the visitors deserved as they edged with way from danger, while shoving Dons closer to trouble.

Two former Bristol City strikers were among the starting line-up for MK Dons in the form of Nicky Maynard and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas as Karl Robinson named a strong side against the Robins. Suspended Samir Carruthers was the only change from the side which won at Derby County last Saturday.

In this fixture last season, both sides looked destined for life in the Championship. This time around though, the first half was totally void of action as both sides cancelled each other out.

Niggly, regular fouls made any chance of a flowing game dead in the water, giving referee Keith Hill a busy half with the whistle as he tried to get both teams into line. Flashing early cards didn’t help either as neither side were especially threatening in front of goal. In fact, neither goalkeeper was tested as the game looked to be heading for a turgid 0-0 at half time.

But a minute before the break, City took the lead. David Martin’s attempted pass to Dean Lewington was picked off by Lee Tomlin, who was able to cross unchallenged, picking out an unmarked Jonathan Kodjia at the far post to tap home.

Despite looking a better outfit in the second half, Dons would find themselves 2-0 on the hour. Latching on to Joe Bryan’s ball in behind, Kodjia broke the offside trap to go one-on-one with Martin, easily slotting it past the keeper to double City’s advantage.

Dons’ ineffective front line was given a significant overhaul with the introduction of Alex Revell, Dean Bowditch and Ben Reeves, but it didn’t help them create anything in front of goal.

To add insult quite literally to injury, David Martin appeared to pull a muscle in routinely clearing the ball away late on, finishing the game on one leg. He did well to keep out a Luke Freeman effort late in the day, though Bryan should have rolled the ball into an empty net, but opted not to shoot at all and lost out to Kyle McFadzean.

The loss means Dons drop to 21st in the table, but the gap to the relegation zone remains at five points, courtesy of a late QPR equaliser against Bolton.

Referee: Keith Hill

Attendance: 12,825 (2,234)

MK Dons: Martin, Lewington, Walsh, McFadzean, Baldock, Potter, Forster-Caskey, Hall (Bowditch 61), Murphy (Reeves 70), Emmanuel-Thomas (Revell 61), Maynard

Subs not used: Cropper, Spence, Kay, Williams

Bristol City: O’Donnell, Vyner, Flint, Baker, Golbourne, Pack, Smith, Tomlin (Agard 70), Bryan, Freeman, Kodjia (Wilbraham 70)

Subs not used: Fielding, Pearce, Williams, Reid, Wagstaff

Booked: Kodjia, Potter, Vyner, Murphy, Lewington