REPORT: Peterborough 0-4 MK Dons: Dons thump rivals Posh

While Dons looked on top in the first half, it wasn't until the second that the visitors found their stride and put Posh to the sword. Harvey Barnes, making his first start, opened the scoring on the hour before Kieran Agard netted his 10th of the season to double the lead. Chuks Aneke, who had a hand in both goals, then scored a wonder-strike before turning in his second with seven minutes to go to complete the rout.

Harvey Barnes, fresh from scoring on his debut last Saturday, got his first start in an MK Dons shirt as Robbie Neilson made one change to the side which beat Northampton last weekend. Skipper Dean Lewington missed out with an ankle injury as Dons reverted to a flat back four.

Games between the sides have normally been fiesty, and this one started in exactly that manner. Dons' defence parted early on to allow Lee Angol to round the stricken David Martin only to see his effort cleared off the line, before Barnes, Chuks Aneke and Nicky Maynard all tested Posh keeper Luke McGee with decent efforts inside the opening 15 minutes.

Barnes was having great success against full back Michael Smith on the Dons left, and after be spun his man, the visitors should have taken the lead, but for some do-or-die defending to deny Aneke, Agard and Maynard in the space of 10 seconds.

Dons looked to have the upper hand in the midfield battle, especially with Aneke's power and clever touch, and it meant the visitors were doing the majority of the groundwork. But Posh remained dangerous on the counter, and should have been ahead nine minutes before the break when Martin Samuelsen somehow missed Marcus Maddison's ball across the face of goal.

The visitors looked just as in control though into the second half, and but for two excellent Michael Bostwick blocks, Maynard would twice have tested keeper McGee. But it wouldn't be long before they hit top gear.

And it would be Barnes who once again would find the net to give Dons the lead on the hour. After another Maynard shot was deflected out for a corner, the ball fell to Paul Downing, who showed a deft touch to reverse the ball back to Barnes, who beat McGee by rolling it in to the far post.

Dons continued to force the issue, with the Posh defence throwing themselves bravely in front of everything the visitors fired in on goal. But there was nothing they could do to deny Agard, who found space at the far post to poke home his 10th of the season, doubling Dons lead.

But the best was yet to come, three minutes later, when Aneke unleashed an absolute rocket from the edge of the box to make it 3-0.

Aneke wasn't done though, collecting a straight forward low pass from Upson's corner as the Peterborough defence was caught napping, shrugging off substitute Junior Morias before thumping in Dons' fourth with seven minutes to go.

Referee: John Busby

Attendance:

Peterborough: McGee, Smith, Bostwick, Tafazolli, Forrester (Nichols 66), Angol (Edwards 66), Taylor, Maddison, Lopes, Binnom-Williams (Morais 74), Samuelsen

Subs not used: Tyler, Ball, Inman, Chettle

MK Dons: Martin, Baldock, Downing, Walsh, Williams, Upson, Potter, Barnes (Muirhead 71), Aneke (Brittain 88), Agard (Powell 84), Maynard

Subs not used: Nicholls, Bowditch, Rasulo, Tilney

Booked: Baldock, Williams, Potter, Tafazolli