MK DONS 2 BURY 1
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| Dean Bowditch heads home MK Dons and his first of the evening |
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DONS claimed their second win in a row with a convincing 2-1 victory over ten-man Bury at stadiummk tonight.
Although the scoreline suggests a tight contest, this was as one sided a match as you are likely to see with Karl Robinson's side dominating their opponents from start to finish.
Bury had to soak up a bombardment of Dons pressure after the interval but they somehow managed to hold out to prevent the home side from increasing a lead gained by Dean Bowditch's first half double.
There were two changes from Saturday's classy 5-0 demolition job of Oldham with midfield talisman Alan Smith and striker Charlie MacDonald returning to the side in place of Jabo Ibehre and Luke Chadwick.
Dons made an electric start and Smith almost made an instant impact with a well struck shot from inside the area which fizzed over the bar within the opening three minutes.
Bury were already rattled and suffered an even bigger scare just moments later as Dons began the game in an ominous fashion.
Right-back James Tavernier, who has proved to be a more than capable replacement for recalled Tottenham loanee Adam Smith, raced forward on a dangerous run up the park and dinked in an inviting cross to the back post.
Top scorer Bowditch arrived with a well placed header which beat Shakers keeper Cameron Belford, but the visitors were able to lash the ball away from the line.
Bowditch's claims that the ball had already crossed were waved away and Dons were then hit with a sucker punch as Bury claimed the lead with their first meaningful attack of the match.
Steven Schumacher's precise through-ball dissected the home defence and former Don David Amoo evaded the offside flag to find himself in an ocean of space.
The midfielder, a real handful in the corresponding fixture at Gigg Lane, cooly rounded David Martin and slotted the ball into the empty net.
It was a goal which arrived against the run of play but Dons picked up from where they left off with another spell of pressure.
Darren Potter forced Belford into a save at his near post and it wasn't long until parity was restored thanks to leading marksman Bowditch.
MacDonald flicked on a swinging delivery in the box and Bowditch stopped low at the back post with a diving header which nestled into the corner.
It was nothing more than Dons deserved and the hosts soon tested Belford again through Stephen Gleeson's shot which deflected into the keeper's hands.
MacDonald then weaved around Belford to put himself in an excellent position but when he tried to steer the ball in from a narrow angle his shot cannoned into the post.
Gleeson picked up a booking – his tenth of the season which will now mean a suspension – following a vocal exchange with Bury's Peter Sweeney but he then nearly contributed in a more positive fashion with a bending free-kick which Belford had to punch away from his top corner.
The closing minutes of the half were a stop-start affair due to referee Darren Drysdale regularly blowing up for fouls and although this briefly disrupted Dons' rhythm they suddenly had two reasons to relish the second half.
Bury's Giles Coke, booked in the opening ten minutes for a foul on Gleeson, was sent for an early bath for tugging back Mathias Doumbe and things got even better for Dons barely a minute later.
Smith nipped around Belford with just seconds left of the half and was clipped by the Bury keeper while looking set to tuck away his first goal for the club.
Mr Drysdale had no hesitation in awarding a spot kick and Bowditch dispatched a finish into the net to score his second penalty in as many games.
Gleeson was replaced by Ibehre at half-time and Dons had Bury under pressure from the outset with some stylish play which suggested that it may be a long half for the Shakers.
Bury pushed every player except Lenell John-Lewis deep and looked for glimmers of hope on the break as they attempted to frustrate as much as possible and a series of niggly fouls were creeping into the visitors' game.
Dons wanted another penalty when Joe Skarz appeared to trip Dan Powell in the box and Ibehre curled over as Dons steamed forward with intent.
Sub Jay O'Shea tested Belford again from the edge of the area but Bury's ten men resolutely held out with some stern backs-to-the-wall defending.
MacDonald should have done better with a close-range header which looped onto the roof of the net as Dons continued to camp in the Bury half and only a last-ditch tackle from Skarz prevented Bowditch from tapping in for his hat-trick.
Another bullet header from MacDonald flashed over as the second half finished scoreless, and from nowhere Bury dramatically had a late chance to level.
Martin had been a spectator for the entire half but he suddenly had to claim when Mark Hughes ghosted in behind the home defence.
It was a scare but anything other than a Dons victory would have been an injustice after a comfortable and confident performance.
Dons: Martin, Tavernier, Lewington, Doumbe, Gleeson (Ibehre 46), Potter, Bowditch (Chadwick 87), MacDonald, Smith, S.Williams, Powell (O'Shea 72). Unused subs: McLoughlin, Chicksen.
Bury: Belford, Picken (Eastham 59), Skarz, Sweeney (Worrall 47), Schumacher (Harrop 79), John-Lewis, Carrington, Coke, Sodje, Hughes, Amoo. Unused subs: Elford-Alliyu, A.Williams.
Att: 6405
