NEWS CHANNEL
Published: 03/08/2010 21:33 -
Updated: 11/08/2010 11:41
MK DONS 2
BIRMINGHAM 3
MK Dons' pre-season campaign ended in a 3-2 defeat to Birmingham City at stadiummk last night.
The Dons went 2-0 up against the Premier League outfit thanks to an early Jermaine Easter penalty and a second half strike from Jabo Ibehre.
But a full-strength Blues side clawed level with two clinical finishes from Cameron Jerome before Gary O'Connor won the game late on with a deflected strike.
Despite letting a two-goal cushion slip Dons boss Karl Robinson will feel confident ahead of their League One curtain raiser at Walsall on Saturday, after dominating large spells and playing the more attractive football especially in the second-half.
Birmingham's starting 11 included Ben Foster in goal, Serbian striker Nikola Zigic and Scotland internationals James McFadden and Barry Feguson.
While Dons handed a start to trialist centreback Pele and George Baldock slotted into midfield with his older brother Sam Baldock leading the attack with Easter.
And it was Easter who opened the scoring from the penalty spot with less than three minutes on the clock after Craig Garner was penalised for handling a shot from Luke Chadwick.
The Dons striker confidently beat former Manchester United 'keeper Foster to tuck his spot-kick into the bottom right corner.
In their next attack Karl Robinson's men could have doubled their lead when the pace of Baldock beat the Blues defence, but Foster brilliantly blocked with his legs.
Birmingham had an opportunity to respond in the eighth minute when they were awarded a penalty when Adam Chicksen struggled to cope with Gardner.
However, the experienced McFadden inexplicably hit the bar much to the delight of the Cowshed.
Both Zigic and Larsson called David Martin in to action with long range efforts but neither truly troubled the former Liverpool stopper.
Birmingham looked a little lethargic in midfield and Easter almost punished a sloppy ball across midfield with a surging run that ended with Foster once again rescuing his side.
McLeish's men still showed glimpses of quality though, turning a Dons free-kick in to an opportunity to level the scores in the blink of an eye as Larsson broke down the right at speed to deliver a wonderful cross yet Bowyer‚s sliding boot knocked it wide.
O'Connor that had the travelling support gasping as he rattled the upright with some force minutes after the break.
But from that chance that the Dons were about to double their lead in an instant with some slick counter-attacking football which was finished in style by Ibehre, who had been on the field for three minutes.
Jerome pulled a goal back for the visitors in the 53rd minute when he made his through on the the right of the Dons defence and cooly slotted beyond Martin.
There was a huge blow for the Dons when Sean O'Hanlon, a half-time sub, limped off the field in the 57th minute and in now a doubt for Saturday's match.
Dons allowed a few sloppy moments to creep in, including some poor defending which allowed Jerome to pick the ball of Tom Flanagan then turn inside the box before firing in the equaliser.
MK DONS: Martin, Koulo-Doumbe (Woodards 45), Easter (Ibehre 45), G Baldock (Corronado 45), Guy (Ahmed 74), Pele (O‚Hanlon 45 (Flanagan 57)), Howell, (Gleeson 45) Leven, Chadwick (Carrington 45), Chicksen (Lewington 45), S Baldock (Powell 45).
Goals: Easter (pen) 3, Ibehre 48
BIRMINGHAM CITY: Foster, Murphy (Valles 57), Bowyer (Jerome 45), Larsson, Gardner (Mutch 65), Johnson (Ridgewell 45), Dann, McFadden (Phillips 74), Zigic (O‚Connor 45), Ferguson (Michel 57), Parnaby (Fahey 35).
Booked: Johnson
Goals: Jerome 53, 78, O‚Connor 88
Referee: Andy Woolmer (Northants)
Attendance: 5,869
