Milton Keynes Dons 2

Keith Andrews 38' (p) Clive Platt 85'

Wrexham 1

Lee McEvilly 11'

Saturday 17 March 2007

 

Kick Off @ 15:00



Match Report

Wrexham were again hard done by as the MK Dons came from behind to take all three points with the game turning on a first half decision by referee Keith Hill that left Wrexham down to ten men and the home side back on level terms.

Wrexham were by far the better side up to this point and good value for the 1-0 lead courtesy of McEvilly’s fifth goal in as many league games in the eleventh minute but the second half was all one way traffic with the Dons taking all three points with another controversial goal five minutes before the end.

Wrexham showed four changes from the previous week with Michael Ingham and Danny Williams back from injury to replace John Ruddy and Gareth Evans respectively. Mike Williams replaced the suspended Ryan Valentine and there was a first start in a month for Simon Spender as he replaced Chris Llewellyn but operated on the right of midfield with Mark Jones on the left.

It was a bright opening to the game with the home side having the first chance when McLeod latched onto a flick on but Ingham did well to gather the ball at the feet of the Don’s top scorer.

Wrexham enjoyed the best of the possession early on and opened the scoring when Neil Roberts sprung the offside trap from Whitley’s good ball over the top but it looked as if Roberts had over hit the square pass to McEvilly but he still managed to score whilst stretching at the far post.

Wrexham had a chance to extend the lead following the restart when Roberts this time found space down the left wing but his centre was over hit and McEvilly was off target after Spender rescued the situation.

The Dons tried to break quickly and Lee Roche ended up in the book for what looked like a nothing challenge as he tussled with McLeod but it was Wrexham who remained on top with the wind in our favour, although we never really tested the goalkeeper despite forcing a number of set plays.

It was completely frustrating that the referee awarded the home side a penalty with nine minutes of the first half remaining and this completely changed the course of the game as Wrexham were reduced to ten men after Roche picked up a second yellow card for what appeared to be dissent.

Wrexham had failed to deal with a corner from the right as the Dons worked themselves in down the channel and the initial shot from McLeod was charged down to Andrews who fired in a pile driver of that struck Roche who was only yards fro the away from the shot and how Keith Hill viewed this as deliberate hand ball is beyond me.

To make matters worse Roche collected his second yellow card and there was also one for Garrett for protesting the decision. When the dust finally settled on the incident Keith Andrews made no mistake from the spot by sending Ingham the wrong way.

Wrexham reorganised with Spender dropping back to full back and Mark Jones switching flanks with Lee McEvilly again finding himself at left wing for the second game in succession. McEvilly ended up in the book before half time for another nothing challenge but took great pleasure in reminding the ref of what the Wrexham fans though of him as he isuued the Wrexham striker with a yellow card.

There was no further action in the remainder of the first half and the Dons started the second half strongly with Ingham having to tip a chip from McGovern onto the bar and Wrexham were grateful to see the flag raised after McLeod had headed in the rebound unmarked.

The second half was a real uphill battle for Wrexham with the wind against them making it difficult to clear the ball and with Roberts up front on his own there was little rest time for the Wrexham defence.

Ingham looked to have brought down Dyer down in the box after the winger had got clear down the ref but more random decisions from referee Keith Hill resulted in the Dons player ending up in the book for diving! This even resulted in the home fans canting 'you don't know what you're doing' and the truly awful official!

The home side went close to taking the lead from a well worked corner that McGovern delivered to the edge of the area from where Lewington ran in to hit a first time volley narrowly wide of the near post.

Robbie Garrett dropped off the pace in the second half after facing a long midweek trip to Israel with Northern Ireland and he was replaced by Levi Mackin just following the hour mark but this change did nothing to stop what felt like wave after wave of attacks from the Dons.

The Dons went even closer from another corner midway through the second half. This time it was a short corner that was played to the edge of the area and it was Gary Smith who arrived unmarked to strike a shot that rebounded away off the near post.

Martin Allen made a double substitution with fifteen minutes left and sacrificed defenders for attackers in the form of Knight and Hayes with Wrexham very rarely getting out of our own half. Wrexham were also forced into another change with Danny Williams again struggling with his back and he was replaced by Gareth Evans.

The Dons made their final change with ten minutes left with the giant of a figure Stirling replacing Edds as the home side went all out attack in search of the three points.

Ingham then did well to come out and collect the ball at the feet of McLeod but he pulled his hamstring in the process and required treatment before the game continued.

With Wrexham looking like they could hold on for a valuable point, the defence was finally beaten with five minutes left but initial thoughts looked like Platt’s header had not crossed the line after Haines had stood the ball up for him inside of the box although there were no complaints coming from any of the Wrexham players.

Wrexham then replaced Mark Jones with Josh Johnson and will all three substitutes on the pitch, Wrexham’s bad luck continued with Michael Ingham going down injured after colliding with McLeod after the Dons' top scorer latched onto a poor back header from Gareth Evans.

Ingham eventually went off with a hamstring problem and Wrexham ended the game with nine men for the second week running with Simon spender finishing the game in goal.

After many an away defeat this season you always felt as if the players were not trying but many a Wrexham fan left the game content with the performance but the manner of the defeat was truly hard to take with referee Keith Hill turning the game on it’s head in the first half when we were on top.

Match Reaction

Brian Carey: "While people don't want to hear it, and I have said this a few times in recent weeks, down to 10-men and even nine at the end, we performed terrifically. When this was a fair contest, we were the better team and I could see us going onto win the game. Our game plan was working well early on, we were a goal up, the players were putting in a performance. Decisions are made, the wrong decisions in our view, even Martin Allen said how when the ball is moving a 200mph you can give a penalty is hard to believe - for us it was very hard to take. But it was not just the penalty; we also had the sending off to compound it. While I can't say too much about it, I'm really gutted for the players and the fans who have come down here, because they haven't had value for money." [Source: Wrexham FC - click here for more]

Milton Keynes Dons

Starting XI:

25 Lee Harper
16 Gareth Edds 80'
06 Sean O'Hanlon
04 Drissa Diallo
03 Dean Lewington 74'
07 Jon-Paul McGovern 74'
14 Gary Smith
13 Keith Andrews
23 Lloyd Dyer
10 Izale McLeod
09 Clive Platt

Subs:

12 Jude Stirling 79'
16 Leon Knight 74'
21 Jonathan Hayes 74'
31 Adolfo Baines (GK)
39 Sam Collins

Stats:

Shots on Goal: 15
Shots on Target: 7
Shots off Target: 8
Possession: 52%
Fouls Conceded: 11
Corners: 5
Yellow Cards: 1
Red Cards: 0

Wrexham

Starting XI:

01 Michael Ingham 89'
02 Lee Roche
04 Shaun Pejic
08 Danny Williams 75'
15 Mike Williams
14 Simon Spender
26 Robbie Garrett 63'
32 Jim Whitley
07 Mark Jones 88'
23 Neil Roberts
09 Lee McEvilly

Subs:

13 Michael Jones (GK)
16 Levi Mackin 63'
17 Josh Johnson 88'
20 Matty Done
24 Gareth Evans 75'

Stats:

Shots on Goal: 6
Shots on Target: 3
Shots off Target: 3
Possession: 48%
Fouls Conceded: 19
Corners: 3
Yellow Cards: 4
Red Cards: 1

Match Notes

Venue The National Hockey Stadium
Attendance 5,712
Half Time Milton Keynes Dons 1 Wrexham 1
Referee Keith Hill (Hertfordshire)

Match Timeline

11' Lee McEvilly (Wrexham)
18' Lee Roche (Wrexham)
36' Lee Roche (Wrexham)
37' Robbie Garrett (Wrexham)
38' Keith Andrews (MK Dons)
43' Lee McEvilly (Wrexham)
52' Lloyd Dyer (MK Dons)
85' Clive Platt (MK Dons)

Other Match Reports

Wrexham Dragons: Final Whistle Podcast


BBC: MK Dons 2-1 Wrexham


MK Dons FC: MK Dons 2 Wrexham 1


TEAMtalk: Platt strike sees off Dragons


Wales on Sunday: Hill's chill for Reds


Wrexham FC: MK Dons 2 Wrexham 1


Wrexham MAD: MK Dons 2 Wrexham 1

League 2 Results

Chester 0 Rochdale 1 (Friday)
Shrewsbury 2 Peterborough 1 (Friday)
Accrington Stanley 1 Torquay 0
Bristol Rovers 2 Notts County 0
Bury 1 Macclesfield 1
Darlington 1 Hereford 0
Grimsby 1 Swindon 0
Lincoln City 1 Barnet 0
Mansfield 1 Boston United 2
Milton Keynes Dons 2 Wrexham 1
Stockport 3 Hartlepool 3
Wycombe 0 Walsall 0

League 2 Table

   
PLD
GD
PTS
1 Hartlepool 38 21 75
2 Walsall 38 28 72
3 Milton Keynes Dons 38 14 70
4 Lincoln City 38 15 67
5 Swindon 37 15 67
6 Stockport 37 14 63
7 Wycombe 37 11 58
8 Darlington 38 4 57
9 Shrewsbury 34 19 52
10 Peterborough 38 3 52
11 Grimsby 38 -15 50
12 Mansfield 38 1 49
13 Bristol Rovers 36 0 49
14 Hereford 38 -4 49
15 Notts County 38 -2 48
16 Chester 38 -2 47
17 Rochdale 36 9 46
18 Barnet 37 -12 45
19 Bury 37 -14 39
20 Accrington Stanley 38 -13 38
21 Macclesfield 38 -17 38
22 Boston United 38 -25 38
23 Wrexham 37 -26 35
24 Torquay 38 -24 29

Next Game

Bristol Rovers (a), Coca Cola League 2

Saturday 24 March 2007, Kick Off @ 15:00