REPORT: MK Dons 2-1 Bury: Aneke is spot on to make it two in a row

Peter Pawlett won the first spot kick 10 minutes in, while Brandon Thomas-Asante won the second as Aneke bagged a brace to put the home side 2-0 up. But a George Miller goal 15 minutes from time made for a nervy final 15 minutes, though Dons were able to see it out to move within a point of League 1 safety.

After winning their first game under Dan Micciche in midweek against Rotherham, Dons remained unchanged. Robbie Muirhead, having scored three in three, played for the final time before heading off for Scotland U21 duty next week, while Osman Sow and Peter Pawlett, who were brought off as precautions on Tuesday, were back in the starting line-up.

And Pawlett's influence was felt after just 10 minutes when he was tripped by defender Peter Clarke in the penalty area, allowing Chuks Aneke to routinely slot home the opener from 12 yards, sending keeper Connor Ripley the wrong way.

Until that time, Bury had probably shaded the game. George Miller and Rohan Ince were driving the bottom club forwards at the nervous looking Dons defence, and were causing problems to the back line, though Lee Nicholls was never really tested despite their sights of goal.

Miller's best chance came after 28 minutes when he beat Elliott Ward for pace, but opted to cut back to get onto his right foot, allowing the on-laon Blackburn defender the chance to get a big block in.

As the bitty half drew to a close, Dons could have doubled their advantage when Sow broke clear from the Bury defence, but as Nathan Cameron closed him down, he fired into the side netting from eight yards out.

Sow was sacrificed 10 minutes into the second half for the impressive Brandon Thomas-Asante and he made an impact immediately as Dons doubled their advantage, once more from the spot. Thomas-Asante looked to get on the end of Callum Brittain's ball through the centre, but he was caught by a trailing Bury leg, sending him sprawling. Aneke did the duties again from the spot, sending Ripley the wrong way to put Dons two up.

With Dons seemingly on easy street with their 2-0 lead, Bury made the final 15 minutes a bit more spicy when Miller finally got his reward, touching home James Hanson's header back across the face of goal to give the visitors a sniff of a point.

With the goal though, they sat far too deep in the closing stages allowing Bury to throw everything they had in a bid to get an unlikely point. But their chance never came, as Stadium MK breathed a sigh of relief at the full time whistle, moving the club to a point from safety.

Referee: Gavin Ward

Attendance: 9,247

MK Dons: Nicholls, Lewington, Wootton, Ward, Williams, Muirhead, Upson, Brittain, Sow (Thomas-Asante 55), Aneke (Ebanks-Landell 85), Pawlett (McGrandles 72)

Subs not used: Sietsma, Cisse, Agard, Ugbo

Bury: Ripley, Leigh, Mayor, Edwards (Maghuire 58), Miller, O'Shea, Cameron, Ince (Dawson 46), Hanson, Bunn (Danns 46), Clarke

Subs not used: Murphy, Tutte, Thompson, Styles

Booked: Clarke, Aneke, Cameron, Dawson, Ebanks-Landell