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CARLISLE UNITED 4
MK DONS 1
League One
Brunton Park
MK Dons’ Brunton Park nightmares continued as they crashed to a 4-1 defeat to Carlisle United and had manager Karl Robinson sent to the stands.
Dons, drubbed 5-0 at the venue last season, fell apart in spectacular fashion in a dramatic 10 minute period before half-time.
Francois Zoko fired in the first in the 42nd minute, and Robinson was promptly shown his marching orders by referee Mark Haywood after protests relating to an incident moments before involving Ian Harte and Jermaine Easter.
James Berrett double the lead before the break, and 15 minutes into the second half-Gary Madine and Tom Taiwo had extended the advantage to 4-0 against a Dons outfit who looked out of their depth.
Peter Leven’s consolation could offer little gloss on a day they were out muscled, out performed and out scored.
There was little hit of the drama to come in the game as it began as a slow burner.
Angelo Balanta miscued an effort which flew well over while Zoko tore past Stephen Gleeson, something he was to do several times, to deliver a cross for the expectant Gary Madine but both his header and his follow-up are blocked by the Dons’ defence.
Balanta’s dazzling run in the box, taking on three Carlisle defenders, sparked the game in to life. Although his cross was cut out the ball found its way to Dean Lewington who, after controlling on his chest, lobbed a shot which hit the inside of the bar and bounced on the line.
The opportunity did not finish there either as Jermaine Easter pounced on the loose ball only to be denied by the legs of Adam Collin.
Chances were few and far between in the opening half-an-hour, and it increasingly looked as though a mistake from either side would break the deadlock.
Gleeson’s long punt down field appeared harmless to the Carlisle back line until the pace of Sam Baldock began to cause real panic for James Chester. But the Dons striker made the wrong run at the last second to stop him from intercepting the ball back to Collin.
Craig Curran blew a great opportunity when he was the only alert player on the field to pick up a through ball, as the Dons’ back four remained static, but his attempt to round David Martin failed as he shot into the side netting.
Six minutes before the break Dons felt aggrieved when an off-the-ball incident, which left Easter on the floor and pointing the finger at Ian Harte. Both players received a talking to from the referee but no caution - much to the annoyance of Robinson.
And from that point matters would only get worse, three minutes later the Dons’ failure to clear aa corner resulted in an emphatic right-footed finish in to the net by Zoko.
And if going a goal behind wasn’t enough, Dons then saw manager Robinson sent to the stands minutes before the break for his continued protests.
The wheels then came off as James Berrett netted Carlisle’s second in six minutes as he picked up Madine’s flick on to convert home from six-yards.
Zoko attempted to bag himself a spectacular second seven minutes in to the second half as Frank Simek, having run the Dons ragged, whipped in a delightful cross but Zoko’s overhead kick failed to connect.
Attacking midfielder Zoko had another chance as Gleeson struggled to keep tabs on him, only this time the post was rattled, but with the Dons failing to kill off the attack an awaiting Madine struck with his right-foot from inside the area to make it 3-0 to the Cumbrians.
Dons struggled to keep up with the flying Cumbrians and were losing out on the physical battle which prompted Lewis Guy and Jabo Ibehre to be introduced in place of Balanta and Dietmar Hamann.
The nightmare day for the men from MK only got worse as the impressive Zoko continued to manipulate the weakness down the Dons’ right-hand side, strolling through the box, beating Gleeson before crossing to Madine who in turn cuts the ball back for Taiwo to make it 4-0.
Despite the heavy deficit the Dons still showed some fighting spirit and when Peter Leven picked out the bottom corner from distance he barely celebrated such was the hunger for the team to find another three to level the score.
The added presence of Ibehre and Guy looked to be working when the two combined to leave Collin scrambling across his goal to ensure a decent shot from Guy fell wide.
As the Dons finally found some authority in the game they pushed up field, the combination of Mathias Kouo-Doumbe and O’Hanlon looked more assured which ultimately allowed them to commit men forward.
But the damage had already been done and Robinson and his men were sent packing back down the M6 to lick their wounds ahead of their second round Carling Cup clash with Blackpool on Tuesday night.
CARLISLE UNITED: Collin, Simek, McDaid, Thirwell (c), Taiwo, Zoko (Bridge-Wilkinson 85), Harte, Curran, Madine, Berrett (Robson 76), Chester.
Booked: Curran
Goals: Zoko 42, Berrett 45 (+3), Madine 55, Taiwo 60
MK DONS: Martin, Lewington (c), O’Hanlon, Gleeson (Kouo-Doumbe 62), Easter, Baldock, Balanta (Guy 56), Woodards, Hamann (Ibehre 56), Leven, Chadwick
Goal: Leven 64
Referee: Mark Haywood (West Yorkshire)
Attendance: 5,205
