NEWS CHANNELMK DONS 2
SWINDON TOWN 1
League One
stadiummk
Sam Baldock's second-half double saw MK Dons come from behind to beat Swindon Town at stadiummk.
The 21-year-old Dons striker netted two headers in as many minutes to earn Karl Robinson’s side three points in their first home game of the League One season.
Swindon, still searching for their first win of the new campaign, lead at half-time thanks to Scott Cuthbert but poor defending cost them, and their day got worse as David Prutton was dismissed late on for two cautions.
Dons could have been out of sight at half-time had Baldock and Jermaine Easter taken some glorious chances, but their habit of conceding at set-pieces continued moments before the break.
But Dons never let their heads drop and were well worthy of maximum points.
Robinson stuck with the same side that beat Blackpool in the Carling Cup in midweek, and Jemal Johnson, who held clear the air talks with boss Karl Robinson on Friday, was named as one of the seven substitutes.
Swindon had seven days rest behind them, while the Dons’ team had 120 minutes under their belts just days earlier but that didn’t stop a fairly energetic, if a little sloppy, opening ten minutes.
David Lucas was the busier ‘keeper in the early stages as he was called off his line in the fifth minute when Sam Baldock was through on goal.
The Dons’ striker’s well timed run allowed him to latch on to Peter Leven’s through ball but Baldock squandered the chance by sending his attempted lob well in to the stands.
The movement of Baldock caused Swindon a number of problems, and when Paul Caddis opted to block his run the Dons were presented with a free-kick 28-yards out.
And a wonderfully worked set-piece, with Leven rolling the ball to the feet of Jermaine Easter, saw a fiercely driven shot force a decent save from Lucas.
Although it was the Dons who continued to create all the opportunities -Easter turned Michael Rose inside out yet failed to call on Lucas - there were glimpses of threatening counterattacking play from Swindon.
Former-Don Jon-Paul McGovern was crucial to Town’s movement, but the likes of Charlie Austin and David Prutton were caught straying offside on too many occasions.
Dons’ failure to make more of their chances almost cost them in the 27th minute when Mathias Kouo-Doumbe’s attempt to clear McGovern’s cross put goalie David Martin under pressure.
Martin had to be on his toes to successfully punch away the looping ball as Austin did his best to unsettle the ‘keeper.
The lively Balanta danced around on the edge of the box, trying to find a position to shoot from, before squaring the ball to Leven whose deflected shot was eventually stopped by Lucas.
Swindon finished the half strongly with Thomas Dossevi shooting at Martin, before the visitors broke the deadlock seconds before the break.
Dietmar Hamann was out jumped as Sean Morrison’s throw-in came in and Cuthbert beat the former German international at the far post to send an awkward header beyond the reach of Martin.
Five minutes in to the second half Balanta once again showed his talent as he burst through midfield, holding off a number of challenges, but watched his deflected effort blocked before Easter’s follow-up header rose inches over.
Moments later Easter broke after a Swindon corner, but his fast paced run came to a sudden halt yards from the Town box as four players recovered and the Welshman fell to the floor. Much to the bemusement of Robinson, the referee waved play on.
Hamann almost clawed the scores level after the hour-mark with a long range effort from the right which had Lucas scrambling back and the Town ‘keeper just managed to palm the ball away.
And from the resulting corner the Town defence was pulled apart but Danny Woodards dragged his header on to Balanta’s delivery yards wide.
The tide then turned in the Dons’ favour as substitute Lewis Guy had an effort parried by Lucas, but Lewington picked up the ball on the left of Town’s box to cross for Baldock to head the score level.
And just a minute later Baldock bagged a second to give the Dons advantage.
Leven’s corner from the right was met by a thumping header by O’Hanlon which was well blocked on the line but Baldock nodded in the rebound.
With only a goal separating the sides the Dons looked to put the game to bed.
A strong challenge by Woodards released Guy on down the right and the winger left Rose in his wake, but all his hard work was undone when he chose the wrong option from the byline.
An unmarked Jabo Ibehre was waiting at the penalty spot, instead Guy found Baldock who, with defenders tracking his move, couldn’t find the target.
In the closing moments Swindon’s Prutton saw red as his frustration got the better of him and his kick out at Baldock earned him a second yellow.
Dons saw out five minutes of extra-time to bounce back from their 4-1 defeat at Carlisle in style.
MK DONS: Martin, Lewington (c), Kouo-Doumbe, O’Hanlon, Easter (Ibehre 61), Baldock, Balanta, Woodards, Hamann (Guy 65), Leven, Chadwick.
Booked: Leven
Goals: Baldock 71, 73
SWINDON TOWN: Lucas, Cuthbert, Rose, Douglas (c), Caddis, McGovern (Amankwaah 70), Prutton, Morrison, O’Brien (Ball 78), Dossevi (Pericard 52), Austin.
Booked: Prutton
Sent-off: Prutton 89
Goal: Cuthbert 45
Referee: Karl Evans (Lancashire)
Attendance: 7,866
