Ten-man MK Dons stun Rotherham to keep promotion dream alive

Things looked beak for Liam Manning's side as they had Daniel Harvie sent off for giving away a penalty midway through the first-half, with the home side going 1-0 up from the resultant penalty.

But two goals in the space of three stunning second-half minutes turned the game on its head, with Harry Darling and Mo Eisa on target.

Rotherham pushed hard to find a leveller, but could find no way through the Dons rearguard as the visitors held on to secure a memorable victory.

It is a win that sees third-placed Dons move to within seven points of the Millers with 10 games of the season remaining, and means the Dons' challenge for a top two finish is very much alive.

Dons made two changes to the team that beat Bolton Wanderers 2-0 last weekend.

Harvie and Josh McEachran returned to the starting line-up, with Daniel Kasumu and Kaine Kesler Hayden dropping to the bench.

The action was preceded by a minute's applause in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, with everybody in the ground standing.

Dons very nearly got off to the perfect start when Scott Twine put Troy Parrott in on goal, but the Dons striker was denied by home stopper Josh Vickers.

The next 15 were pretty cagey, until the home side carved out their first real chance, with Jamie Cumming doing brilliantly to get his fingertips to a Michael Smith header from close range and keep the ball out.

Smith then dragged an effort wide from just outside the area as the Millers looked for the opener.

It was the 24th minute that things looked to be unravelling for the Dons, with the awarding of a penalty to Rotherham, and a red card for Harvie.

The Dons midfielder was penalised for a push on Chiedozie Ogbene as he bore down on goal, and as he was deemed the last man and making no attempt for the ball, he was sent off by referee Marc Edwards.

Dan Barlaser stepped up to take the penalty hammered the ball down the middle to make it 1-0.

Dons reacted well to the double setback and were inches away from a leveller when Eisa's strike from the edge of the box flew just over the bar.

Eisa then saw a header saved by Vickers in first-half stoppage time as Dons finished strongly, but still went in at the break 1-0 down.

Dons made a change early in the second-half, with Kasumu coming on for McEachran.

The visitors clearly believed they were still in the game, and they were proved right as Darling notched the equaliser on 57 minutes, heading home after Dean Lewington had headed a corner into his path.

Incredibly, Dons were then ahead two minutes later, Eisa the man on target as he kept his cool to slot home after good work from substitute Kasumu.

The quickfire goals stunned the home side who now had to try and find a way back into a game they had looked to be in control of.

They huffed and puffed as they tried to find an equaliser, but clear-cut chances were few and far between as Dons held firm.

Striker Smith was the biggest threat for the Millers, and he went close as he fired just wide with three minutes remaining, while in stoppage time Michael Ihiekwe got a firm header in on goal, but it was safely gathered by Cumming as Dons saw out a remarkable win.

Teams

Rotherham United: Vickers; Harding, Ihiekwe (C), Mattock; Ogbene, Wiles, Barlaser, Rathbone, Ferguson; Smith, Ladapo. Substitutes: Johansson, Wood, MacDonald, Odoffin, Bola, Osei-Tutu, Kayode.

MK Dons: Cumming, Watson, Lewington, O'Hora, Darling, Twine, Eisa, Coventry, McEachran, Parrott, Harvie. Substitutes: Ravizzoli, Smith, Kasumu, Corbeanu, Kemp Boateng, Kesler Hayden

Referee: Marc Edwards

Attendance: 9,731 (Dons fans: 608)