MK Dons report from their site

Match Report

A goalless draw at home to Barnsley was not enough to prevent the MK Dons from slipping to the foot of the table.
Still without a victory this season, results elsewhere made it a gloomy afternoon after an uninspiring clash against the South Yorkshire outfit.
MK Dons boss Danny Wilson made a couple of changes from the side which lost 3-1 at home to Swansea City on Tuesday evening. Nick McKoy was dropped from the starting 11 at the expense of Gary Smith. And Nicky Rizzo was also called into the side, with Dean Lewington moving back to left back and Leon Crooks relegated to the substitute's bench.
On a bright but cold September afternoon, Barnsley kicked off towards the Cowshed end of the National Hockey Stadium.
And within seconds the Dons had a good chance as Dean Lewington got down the left, crossed the ball in and it was only cleared to skipper Paul Mitchell on the edge of the box, but his right footed effort was off-target.
Colgan had to collect Malvin Kamara's cross at the second attempt under pressure from Izale McLeod, pictured above right, on four minutes as the Dons started out very brightly.
Matt Baker made a smart block from Batrry Conlon's angled drive on nine minutes and Lewington had to be alert to get back and block Chris Shuker's attempt from the right seconds later.
After soaking up the early pressure from The Dons, Barnsley were beginning to impose themselves on the game and start to gain more possession and territorial advantage. But there was then a 10-minute spell where both sides cancelled each other out without creating anything of note.
A speculative effort from Smith 30 yards out was well high of the target on 20 minutes.
The Dons best chance of the game so far came on 23 minutes when Rizzo floated a brilliant pass into the path of Izale McLeod, who got in between the central defenders and rifled a right footed effort which had Nick Colhan beaten but cleared the crossbar by inches.
Nicky Wroe earned a deserved booking for tripping McLeod in full flight on 25 minutes. But Gary Smith;s resulting right footer from the free-kick didn't beat the Reds' defensive wall.
Visiting skipper Paul Reid was next in the referee's book after a cynical challenge on Rizzo after 27 minutes.
A defensive clearance from Anthony Kay on 28 minutes nearly found it's way into the net as it bounced off the face if Kamara, wrongfooting the keeper but ending up just wide of the goal.
Robbie Williams was back with a crucial tackle to rob possession from McLeod just as the striker was about to shoot at goal on the half-hour mark, following a throughball from Kamara.
Conlon had the ball in the back of the net with a close range header on 32 minutes, nodding home Martin Devaney's left wing cross, but the effort was ruled out for offside.
There was little in the way of goalmouth action for much of the closing spell of the half as the game slowed to a fairly sedate pace, the Dons probably shading possession.
A chance for the Dons came on 43 minutes when McLeod was released down the left, cut inside and crossed the ball, Colgan spilled the effort, but Clive Platt was muscled off the rebound from less than two yards out.
And in the dying seconds of the half Colgan headed onto the angle of the upright after Williams' left wing cross.

Half-time: MK Dons 0 Barnsley 0

Nicky Rizzo clipped an angled shot over the crossbar on 46 minutes as the Dons got off to a brisk start to the second half.
At the other end Paul Hayes nearly knocked the ball home from close range after Williams' low cross, but it fell just behind him and he was unable to turn it goallwards.
Hayes beat the offside trap on 49 minutes, but snatched at his shot from 15 yards which was well high and wide of the mark on 49 minutes.
Rizzo's free-kick from the right flank found the head of Platt on 50 minutes, but the effort was placed just wide of Colgan's right hand post with the keeper beaten.
A good move down the right saw McClenahan overlap Kamara and swing over a dangerous cross which Reid did well to turn over his own crossbar on 56 minutes.
And from the resulting corner McLeod blasted home from close range but referee Clive Penton ruled the goal out for an infringement in the penalty area.
Wilson made a substitution on 57 minutes by taking off Kamara and replacing him with Gareth Edds.
And within seconds he had nearly set up a goal when he flicked on McClenahan's lofted pass into the path of McLeod, but the striker's close range effort fell the wrong side of the upright.
McClenahan rode three challenges on his charge to goal on the hour mark, but the ball broke kindly for Barnsley as he was about to shoot, allowing Colgan to collect without danger.
Barnsley's first change of the afternoon saw Hayes replaced by Daniel Nardiello on 63 minutes.
Conlon earned a yellow card for a late challenge on Dons goalkeeper Matt Baker on 65 minutes as a bit of edge started to come into the game.
Rizzo tried his luck with a right footer from 15 yards out which Colgan made a good save to turn away to his left on 68 minutes.
Another substitution for Barnsley on 70 minutes saw Marc Richards come on for Chris Shuker.
A free-kick won on the edge of the penalty area gave Smith a chance to go at goal on 72 minutes. But his low effort was beaten down by the defensive wall.
A second change for the Dons on 76 minutes saw Mitchell taken off for Nick McKoy as Danny Wilson tried to unlock the door for a goal that would win the game.
Barnsley again had the ball in the net when Hayes muscled Craig Morgan, pictured above left, off the ball to go in on goal and beat Baker from 15 yards out, but again the effort was ruled out - this time for a foul on the Dons centre-half.
Edds picked up a yellow card on 78 minutes for an off-the-ball incident with Williams, who was also booked for his part.
Baker made a low save to keep out Nardiello's right footer on 78 minutes, and was again equal to the Barnsley sub a minute later as he had carved out space to drill in a right footer which was finger-tipped over the bar.
The game seemed to be heading to stalemate as it neared the conclusion, Barnsley seemingly happy with a solitary point. And it was the Dons who clearly looked like the hungrier in the closing stages.
Wilson's final change on 87 minutes saw Rizzo taken off for Aaron Wilbraham.
And seconds later Barnsley made another substitution, Martin Devaney replaced by Dale Tonge.
Three minutes of injury time could not produce a goal for either side, Barnsley going closest when Richards header hit the crossbar from close range.

Full-time: MK Dons 0 Barnsley 0

 

I was going to point out all the horrendous mistakes with the grammar, spelling, mistaken identities and poor use of language in this report, but there's so many I can't be bothered. How people like that can get jobs as journalists baffles me.

 

Batrry Conlon's??????????????/

 

RE: Batrry Conlon's??????????????/

"Nick McKoy was dropped from the starting 11 at the expense of Gary Smith."

How is it at Gary Smith's expense if he's come into the side?!

I think: "Gary Smith was brought into the starting 11 at the expense of Nick McKoy," makes rather more sense.