Life is tough in League One

The Latics star writes every week for Chron Sport

PLENTY has been said about the MK Dons game and there is no doubt it was a real battle with their two centre-backs.

They gave plenty out. And in those circumstances, you have no choice but to protect yourself.

Jordan Slew and I were up against big guys – Gary MacKenzie, especially – and on a few occasions during the game I felt a defender come right through the back of me.

In the incident at the end of the game, I went up for a header and caught Antony Kay accidentally.

Antony is a friend of mine, but his reaction was that I had done so intentionally.

James Tarkowski had been cut down with an elbow not long before and perhaps he believed that I was seeking retribution, which was absolutely not true.

We have since exchanged a few texts and have ended up laughing about it.

Looking at some of MK Dons manager Karl Robinson's comments in the Chronicle afterwards, he said that there was blood everywhere and that Antony's nose was a mess.

That wasn't the case at all, so I'm not sure where that one has been dreamed up from.

It can be a very physical game at this level.

Even against Walsall on Tuesday, I got a few arms in the back of my head challenging for headers and I'm sure that I caught a defender a time or two.

It happens, just as bad tackles do.

It is about how you react to these moments and it is important to stay professional.








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