You shamed a great club

Mike Jones has a rare shot at the MK Dons’ goal

MK Dons 7, Athletic 0

HO, ho, ho and a bottle of rum to wash the pain away, please. Make that two.

Merry Christmas, Athletic fans. In this particular festive tale, a proud, 119-year-old club put in a performance which can only be rightly described a complete disgrace to that history.

You know what? Lee Johnson deserves some credit. Whatever his mistakes tactically or selection-wise, after the final whistle he walked up to those supporters who apportioned money to this trip with his hands up to offer his apologies in person.

That takes horse-sized chestnuts. By that time, at least one of his players was already away down the tunnel. Not my fault, boss.

Well you know what? It was your fault. And as of this morning, it can only be hoped the players have held a whip-round to reimburse the supporters who paid to watch this pathetic spectacle.

The thought of fans' kids missing out on Christmas presents, in favour of travel and ticket costs to see that is almost obscene.

Athletic were 2-0 down at half-time.

The first goal was a comedy of errors, Brian Wilson mystifyingly issuing a back-pass when other options were available and then goalkeeper Paddy Kenny diving on to the ball when he could have kicked clear.

Will Grigg drove home from the resulting indirect free-kick in the box, low through a gap that was left in the centre of goal. No, me neither.

The second – a roll-in for Dean Bowditch, after one of what seemed like a million raids in behind the full-backs - came after the visitors' best spell of a game which sets the performance bar lower than a snake's belly.

After the previous week's battering at home to Yeovil, the lack of professional pride shown in the second half was truly shocking.

The midfield was dysfunctional then and here, and the Dons sliced through it like a knife through a fancy festive cheese.

Every time Karl Robinson's superb side went forward, they looked like they would score – and, more often than not, they did.

Athletic started slowly against the Dons, the division's top scorers with a fearsome home record.

Johnson made two changes, with Dominic Poleon and Jonathan Forte in for George Elokobi and Jabo Ibehre. Forte and Poleon lined up on the wings, with Danny Philliskirk up front supported by Daniel Johnson in a free role behind him.

The hideous opening goal set the tone for the afternoon. Athletic could have equalised after 36 minutes when Johnson produced a burst and Forte, on the stretch, at least forced David Martin into his only awkward moment of the day in racing out to block at his feet.

Then came Bowditch's strike shortly before half-time, the one of the seven that was against the run of play.

Athletic's players were sent out early for the second half – but were still caught cold.

George Elokobi's presence as a substitute for the injured Joseph Mills did little to settle a nervous wreck of an overworked defensive unit.

Grigg battled past the ex-Wolves man to net the third and after 51 minutes, a lovely move led to the classy Darren Potter stroking home a fourth.

From then on, it was a matter of how many twists of the knife MK Dons cared to inflict against a rabble of a side.

Kenny saved well from Bowditch and then teen prodigy Dele Alli, only to be beaten by the same player's smart finish after a mazy dribble for the fifth.

Benik Afobe made it 6-0 before Carl Baker, who had narrowly missed with a firm shot, bagged a seventh when firing into an empty goal after Kenny had come out to block one of countless attacks.

Athletic's on-loan 'keeper could have earlier seen red for a foul just outside his own penalty area, just as James Wilson could in the first half.

Thank goodness there was some compassion on show from others towards Athletic, or else. . . well, it would have been even worse than 11-0 in the last 180 minutes of football.

Next year, Stadium mk hosts Rugby Union World Cup matches where scores like this one will become more commonplace. For Athletic, this extraordinary sequence over a period of eight days threatens to leave the whole season in tatters.

Cheers, everyone.