Dan dashes Latics hopes

Simpson tangles unsuccessfully with MK Dons goalkeeper David Martin

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MK Dons 2 Athletic 0

On-fire MK winger is first-day destroyer
SECOND best for large sections of this game, Athletic can at least point to a few factors which didn’t aid their cause in trying to engineer an unlikely point at the home of the second-favourites for the npower League One title.

James Wesolowski’s pulled hamstring on the eve of the game meant manager Paul Dickov was still unable to name him alongside key men Robbie Simpson and Dean Furman.

When shall all three meet again? Not since the FA Cup tie at Liverpool has the trio been present and correct on the same team sheet.

Also hindering the possibility of a result was the scarcely-believable form of Daniel Powell.

The hard-running 21-year-old winger, who scored twice in the 5-0 thumping of Dickov’s side last season, smashed a shot against the crossbar in first-half injury time and netted a superb goal after the interval to double his team’s advantage.

Then there was the curious case of Robbie Simpson’s disallowed goal.

Simpson latched on to a marginally-forward pass that put him just offside. On another day it could easily have been allowed.

But there is no doubt the better side won.

Far more careful and purposeful in possession, the class of Luke Chadwick at the base of midfield was telling and the movement of a fluid system, best described as 4-2-3-1, produced some eye-catching patterns of play.

Athletic were for the most part resolute for the opening half. But fluidity and accuracy were certainly absent.

While holding together comfortably, Athletic rarely existed as an attacking force.

It took until around the half-hour mark before the on-loan Blackburn striker, such a threat against Sheffield Wednesday, touched the ball in any meaningful fashion.

But it is the manner of the goals conceded that provides the major worry.

Against teams of such ability, allowing free headers from corners, as Athletic did after 34 minutes, was bad enough.

But if anything, the second was even worse.

Athletic went from hope of a leveller to despair at having the game taken from them in a matter of several unsatisfactory seconds.

The game ended sourly. Only Dons substitute Alan Smith will know why he decided to hack down Dean Furman in centre-field with the ball in a different post code.

From there, James Tarkowski picked up a cut to his head after an aerial battle and after the final whistle had blown Simpson – treading a fine line all game – got involved in an altercation with former Huddersfield team-mate Antony Kay.

Arms were raised and when players from both sides had waded in, Kay saw red after Simpson had wisely made a sharp exit.








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