Dons drop further into relegation zone after defeat to league leaders Plymouth

MK Dons began 2023 with defeat to League One leaders Plymouth Argyle, going down 3-1 at Home Park.

With few expecting anything otuer than a defeat for Mark Jackson’s side, James Wilson’s third minute goal threatened to make it a dismal afternoon for the few travelling Dons supporters, especially when Niall Ennis and Danny Mayor fired just wide inside the opening 10 minutes.

But Nathan Holland’s strike on 19 minutes drew the visitors level, before Louie Barry appeared to be upended for a penalty which wasn’t given.

Plymouth though retook the lead just before half-time through Ennis, before the excellent Morgan Whittaker, who set up the previous two goals, netted a third early in the second half to put the game to bed.

Dons appeared to be headed to the bottom of the table when Barry missed two more good chances to get the visitors back into it, but a late Port Vale equaliser ensured Forest Green dropped to the foot, though the gap to safety remains a point.

Taking on the league leaders, who had lost just once at Home Park all season, Mark Jackson rolled the dice with a different formation and cast his eyes over a few different players against Plymouth as he made four changes to the side which lost to Peterborough three days prior. In came Henry Lawrence, Bradley Johnson, Ethan Robson and Mo Eisa ahead of Tennai Watson, Zak Jules, Josh McEachran and Will Grigg.

Few expected anything other than a one-sided affair come kick-off, and it threatened to be that way when James Wilson opened the scoring after just three minutes, getting in front Bradley Johnson to poke home the excellent Morgan Whittaker's free-kick.

Sensing blood in the water, Niall Ennis and Danny Mayor fired dangerous efforts just wide of the mark as the home side tried to put the game to bed inside the opening 10 minutes.

But from there, Dons showed some signs of life. Mo Eisa had two chances which he fired straight at Michael Cooper as the visitors came back into the game and they managed to upset the apple cart when they netted an equaliser. Henry Lawrence's initial shot was blocked by defender Dan Scarr but it fell into the path of Nathan Holland to fire into the side of the net to draw Dons level on 19 minutes.

The visitors then had a huge appeal for a penalty turned away when Louie Barry went down in the box after cutting inside Nigel Lonwijk, but replays suggest he there was contact, it was minimal as he was slipping.

Plymouth, despite having to ride out a spell of Dons threat, looked as though they could find another gear if they needed to, and when offered the chance to counter-attack, did so and retook their lead seven minutes before half-time. Whittaker pulled Dons' defence to the right-flank and played a brilliant reverse pass to Ennis who lost Tucker and this time found the corner of the net to send the hosts in in front at the break.

In similar fashion to their defeat to Peterborough in the week though, Dons' chances were dealt a hammer blow early in the second-half which effectively put the game to bed. Barry had squandered what could have been a golden opportunity to round keeper Cooper who came racing out of his ground and were made to pay for it when the excellent Whittaker fired home from the edge of the box on 51 minutes.

Again though, Dons had moments which, had they fallen differently, could have changed the lanscape. Ethan Robson and Bradley Johnson both had efforts fly just over the Plymouth bar, but the best chance again fell to Barry who, having snuck in at the far post, somehow poked wide from a couple of yards out.

Jackson made his five changes, and finished with three strikers on the pitch but it did little to alter the course of things.

Referee: Paul Howard

Attendance: 15,421

Plymouth Argyle: Cooper, Houghton (Butcher 61), Wilson, Scarr, Edwards, Mayor (Endacott 70), Ennis (Hardie 46), Mumba, Whittaker (Cosgrove 89), Randell, Lonwijk

Subs not used: Burton, Bolton, Jenkins Davis

MK Dons: Cumming, O'Hora, Tucker, Harvie, Lawrence (Watson 86), Devoy (McEachran 70), Robson (Smith 71), Johnson, Barry (Grigg 86), Holland (Dennis 61), Eisa

Subs not used: Ravizzoli, Jules

Booked: Tucker