AFC Wimbledon 0-0 MK Dons: Visitors still searching for first win after goalless draw in League One showdown | Football News
MK Dons are without a win in seven League One games this season after being held to a 0-0 draw by AFC Wimbledon at the Cherry Red Records Stadium.
The hosts could have taken an early lead when Myles Hippolyte put Callum Maycock through on goal but his effort sailed over the crossbar.
They went close again in the 11th minute when Jayden Stockley flicked a header into the path of Steve Seddon, whose effort at the back post forced a superb save from Will Dennis.
The ball fell at the feet of Callum Paterson in the 32nd minute, only for the MK Dons star to fire a shot straight down the throat of Joe Bursik.
After a fiery start to the second half, Bursik made another crucial intervention to clear Aaron Collins’ cut-back before it drifted into the path of Sam Nombe.
Alistair Smith almost sent the Cherry Red Records Stadium into a state of ecstasy in the 72nd minute but his long-range thunderbolt drifted wide of the top-right corner.
Stockley got on to the end of a delightful delivery into the box as the half progressed, but he could not turn the ball towards goal from close range.
Both sides pushed for a winner as the contest drew to a close but the decisive goal never came, leaving MK Dons with six draws and one defeat in their opening seven fixtures.
What the managers said…
Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson:
“Pride [is my overriding emotion], to be honest. I think this game always brings out the best of us at this football club. I think that was on show again tonight. On the pitch, in the stands.
“I am a bit gutted we did not win it but I am pleased we did not lose it. So yeah, a bit of a mixed bag to be honest but I could not ask any more of the boys.
“I am super proud of them. They caused us some problems for the first 20 minutes of the second half.
“I think we made some adjustments on the pitch and the lads got to grips with it.
“I think we grew back into the half, we needed to get a little bit more control with the ball, which we started to do and then we had threats on the counter-attack.
“I felt like by the end of the game, if someone was going to win it it was going to be us, but you are only a moment away from a set-piece or a long throw and I was really happy with how we stood up to that.”
MK Dons boss Paul Warne:
“I really enjoyed it, I don’t know why. I built it up in my head like people would be trying to hit me with flamethrowers or darts or something and I was going to be coming out with my neck in bits. But everyone has been really nice, I found it weird to be honest.
“I was prepared. Everywhere I went I was tense and I was prepared to tell people to leave me alone but there was not any of that.
“Both sets of fans were loud, but those are the games you want to be in.
“My memory is horrific. I’m not making a joke about it, I can’t remember many games, but I will remember this one and hopefully later on I will remember the home game and I will remember it because we won.
“It was how football should be, it was loud, it was a bit aggressive, and two sets of committed players.”
