MK Dons report-makes it sound better than it was !!

The MK Dons caused a great shock in the Carling Cup second round by eliminating Championship outfit Barnsley thanks to two goals from Aaron Wilbraham.</p>

A first half header and a last-minute strike saw off the Oakwell club, who had looked the stronger side for a period in the second half but overall were second best to their League Two conquerors.</p>

The Dons now go into the hat for the third round of the competition, which sees all the big names of English football take their place in the draw.</p>

Martin Allen's team came into the game with three changes from Saturday's win at Lincoln, with Leon Crooks, Clive Platt and Scott Taylor coming in for Sean O'Hanlon, Keith Andrews and the suspended Izale McLeod.</p>

The Dons started the game brightly, with the previously untested partnership of Platt and Taylor working hard to close down the Tykes back four and pen the home side in and force them into a long ball game.</p>

As a result, the Dons carved out the first opportunity of the game after 10 minutes when neat link up play between Platt and Gareth Edds allowed the MK target man to strike at goal from the edge of the box, but his snapshot flew just wide of the target.</p>

At the other end, tricky winger Nathan Jarman was given too much space on the left wing, allowing him to cut in and shoot at goal, although Dons 'keeper Adolfo Baines was never in trouble as he watched the effort wide.</p>

Seconds later, Baines produced a save from the top drawer to deny Michael Coulson from close range after the ball had found its way to the Barnsley forward via a Ben Chorley deflection.</p>

The Dons had their own chance at the other end, with an effort from Taylor looking to have beaten Vito Mannone in the Tykes goal, only drift just over the bar.</p>

Then with 28 minutes on the clock, the deadlock was broken, but much to the disappointment of the home side it was the Dons who took the lead.</p>

Dean Lewington skipped down the left wing on the overlap before whipping a cross to the back post where Aaron Wilbraham was on hand to head the ball home with a aplomb.</p>

GOAL: BARNSLEY 0 MK DONS 1
Aaron Wilbraham 28</p>

Four minutes later and the Dons were within inches of doubling their lead when Taylor latched onto a flick on from Platt, only to see his left foot shot shave the outside of the post and go wide.</p>

Taylor again came close with moments until the break, when Paul Mitchell collected a poor clearance, passed to Edds who found Taylor in the box. His shot at goal forced a fine save from Mannone who beat the ball out for a corner.</p>

From the resulting set play, Jon-Paul McGovern whipped the ball in to the box, where Ben Chorley rose highest to head at goal, only to see his effort cleared off the line by Dale Tonge.</p>

Just a couple of minutes later the half time whistle sounded - much to the relief of the home side who could easily have been two or three down at the break.</p>

HALF-TIME: BARNSLEY 0 MK DONS 1

After the break, the Dons looked to consolidate their lead and kept matters tight and steady. That said, the home side came close to an equaliser when Baines misjudged a deep cross but Lewington was on hand to clear the danger.</p>

But Baines was helpless to stop the hosts levelling matters on 66 minutes.</p>

The dangerous Jarman, having switched to the right wing, found space to cross into the Dons box and substitute Michael McIndoe was in the right place at the right time to finish superbly across Baines' goal into the bottom right corner</p>

GOAL: BARNSLEY 1 MK DONS 1
Michael McIndoe 66</p>

Seven minutes later and the Tykes were presented with two further half chances as first Michael Coulson and then Wright were denied goals with the Dons seemingly hanging on.</p>

Back at the other end, Taylor was again in the thick of the action with two clear chances, but on both occasions he spurned the opportunity without threatening Mannone's goal.</p>

Taylor was then presented with a third sight of goal on 75 minutes and on this occasion he found the target - only for the Arsenal loanee Mannone to make a great save.</p>

Into the final six minutes and the hosts were denied the lead by the frame of Baines' goal. Neil Austin collected the ball 15 yards out after a fluffed clearance and fired a shot goalwards, where the crossbar rescued the Dons and kept the scores level.</p>

But somehow, against the run of play, the Dons put themselves into the third round thanks to a second goal from Wilbraham.</p>

Jon-Paul McGovern found the Dons striker out wide, where he forced his way into the box but appeared to lose control of the ball under pressure. Wilbraham showed great determination to force a shot at goal and got right under the ball, making it loop over Mannone and into the Barnsley goal.</p>

GOAL: BARNSLEY 1 MK DONS 2
Aaron Wilbraham 90</p>

Having re-taken the lead, the Dons were forced to hang on into stoppage time, when Baines was called into action again to make a great save in the dying seconds.</p>

But it wasn't to be for the hosts, as Martin Allen's team claimed their second Championship scalp of the 2006/07 Carling Cup and gave themselves a great chance of drawing one of the real big boys at the third hurdle.</p>

The Dons came into the game at 11/2 with the pre-match bookies, so this result was a definite turn up for the books - Martin Allen's team showed great determination and fight, as they have all season and will be looking forward to the draw with great anticipation and excitement.</p></p>

 

Tonge put the cross in for our goal, I'm sure of it.