NEWS CHANNEL
Published: 31/07/2010 16:54 -
Updated: 02/08/2010 10:25
RUSHDEN & DIAMONDS 0
MK DONS 5
Pre-season friendly
Ryan Charles saw red as Rushden & Diamonds fell to a 5-0 pre-season defeat to MK Dons.
The League One outfit netted through five different goal scorers - Jermaine Easter, Luke Chadwick, Lewis Guy, Sam Baldock and Peter Leven - as they brushed aside Justin Edingburgh‚s men.
Diamonds had an afternoon to forget as second-half substitute Charles was dismissed after just six minutes on the pitch for a late challenge on Peter Leven.
The Dons were run away winners in the end, but neither side were fast out the traps as a slow tempo took hold of the game in a muted Nene Park.
The home team were the more lively side in the opening phases with Curtis Osano embarking on a surging run in the tenth minute after picking up possession from Danny Woodards, and looked to be troubling the Dons until Aaron Wilbraham, slotting into midfield, put an end to his break.
Despite having the better of the play Rushden and Diamonds found themselves a goal down after 14 minutes due to some dodgy defending.
A through ball for Baldock caused Rushden’s backline all sorts of problems, Dale Roberts was able to block the ball at his feet, but the striker found Easter on the right to slot home.
Lee Tomlin had an opportunity to level the scores with a well positioned free-kick. However, Tomlin failed to call Stuart Searle in to action from 25-yards-out, his effort at goal beat a four-man Dons wall yet sailed well over.
At the other end the Dons punished Rushden for their failure to take their chances when Easter made his way through a static defence and unselfishly crossed for an alert Chadwick to emphatically finish at the far post.
Rushden were dealt a huge blow in the 33rd minute when a late challenge by Baldock on new signing Shane Huke saw the right-back stretchered off the pitch, leaving his participation in their Blue Square Premier opener against Fleetwood Town in doubt.
Without ever being at their best the Dons could have trebled their lead when more poor defending allowed Chadwick to ease past Jamie Day before finding Easter, who low shot was well blocked by Roberts’ legs.
Craig Farrell caused the League One side a few problems as he was able to take advantage of an error by Danny Woodards, which allowed him to to find Tomlin in support. Yet, Tomlin, with a sight at goal, lost his composure as he shot wildly over.
Four minutes after the break Leven, on in place of Easter, got straight into the thick of the action when he was heavily involved in the build up to a stinging strike from Baldock which Roberts brilliantly palmed away.
The Dons were by far the more dominant side as Diamonds were unable to string together any sort of attack, instead they found themselves struggling to defend.
With little coming in the way of attack from Diamonds, Dons skipper Dean Lewington stayed in midfield to deliver a through ball for Lewis Guy to fire beyond the reach of Roberts.
And within a minute Diamonds fell four goals down when Sean O’Hanlon’s long ball was flicked on by Wilbraham, and Baldock, impressive throughout, picked out the bottom corner.
Rushden’s day went from bad to worse when Charles, on the pitch for just six minutes was shown a straight red for a lung on Leven.
It was a challenge that the Dons midfielder was less than impressed with, and neither was referee John Scott as he handed out a rare dismissal in the friendly match.
Set-pieces always looked to be Diamonds’ best route for registering a score, but Farrell’s free-kick from 30-yards, which was well off target, summed up Justin Edinburgh’s men’s cutting edge on the day.
As the Dons continued to move through the gears Rushden fell apart. A terrific diagonal cross from Mark Carrington found Wilbraham on the left corner of the box, and he squared for Leven who gleefully netted the fifth of the day with 74 minutes on the clock.
RUSHDEN & DIAMONDS: Roberts, Huke (Keehan 33), Day, Power, Osano, Johnson, Smith (Charles 57), Farrell, Tomlin, Porter, Stuart (c)
Booked: Power
Sent off: Charles 63
Booked: Gleeson
Goals: Easter 14, Chadwick 26, Guy 55, Baldock 57, Leven 74
Attendance: 747
