Comfortable victory sends Dons into fourth round draw

MK Dons cruised into the fourth round of the Carabao Cup with a comfortable 2-0 win over Morecambe on Tuesday night.

Warren O’Hora gave Dons a deserving lead after 17 minutes, curling home a fine volley from 10 yards, after Jack Tucker had hit the post. Substitue Matt Dennis made it 2-0 early in the second half to complete the routing win - Dons’ second over the Shrimps this season - with the visitors only registering a single effort on goal all night, coming with two minutes to go.

It means Dons go into Thursday night’s draw for the fourth round, remaining in all three cup competitions.

After spending lengthy spells on the sidelines, Mo Eisa and Tennai Watson were back in the starting line-up for the first time this season as Liam Manning made seven changes to the side which started on Saturday. Jamie Cumming, Zak Jules, Ethan Robson, Bradley Johnson and Conor Grant, who netted twice off the bench against Taunton, also came into the side.

Having looked in total control against the National League South side at the weekend, Dons' control continued into the Carabao Cup against their League One counterparts.

Although they took the lead after 17 minutes through Warren O'Hora's wonderfully controlled volley, their advantage could and should have been bigger before then, but Connor Ripley did well to deny both Watson and Robson, while Tucker poked a rebound onto the post.

Having found the back of the net on Saturday, Darragh Burns almost doubled the lead a few minutes after his compatriot opened the scoring with a fierce strike just wide as Dons asserted their dominance.

Such was their control, Derek Adams made a double change and a tactical switch after just half-an-hour, but it did little to alter the course of the game as Dons cruised through to half-time without anything to trouble Jamie Cumming.

Adding another goal looked sure to put Dons' name into the hat for the fourth round draw, and within five minutes of the restart, substitute Matt Dennis did just that. Replacing Eisa at the break as the striker's comeback continues, Dennis did brilliantly to gain half-a-yard on Farrend Rawson, who tried desperately to haul him to the ground, but on his way down, swung a leg to find the bottom corner and put the game out of Morecambe's reach.

From there, it really was cruise control for the home side. Dennis had another sight of goal, as did Lawrence and Daniel Oyegoke - none of them though enough to add to the scoreline.

With a fourth clean sheet the target thereafter, Morecambe barely offered up a threat to Cumming's goal, registering their only effort on goal with two minutes to go but Ousmane Fane's wild lash was no-where near troubling the keeper.

Referee: Ben Toner

MK Dons: Cumming, Jules, O'Hora, Tucker, Watson (Oyegoke 46), Lawrence, Robson, Johnson (Devoy 66), Burns (Smith 66), Grant, Eisa (Dennis 46)

Subs not used: Ravizzoli, Holland, Kemp, Barry, Harvie

Morecambe: Ripley, Gibson, Rawson, Delaney (Connolly 31), Weir, Bedeau, Watts (Stockton 46), Shaw, Cooney, O'Connor (Mayor 31), Phillips (Fane 61)

Subs not used: Smith, Gnahoua, Obika

Booked: Eisa, Watts, Gibson