Dons top the group with win over Walsall in Papa John’s Trophy

Henry Lawrence and Nathan Holland scored their first goals for the club as MK Dons were 2-0 winners over Walsall to progress from Southern Group C as table toppers.

Lawrence fired a fierce effort over the bar in the first-half before nestling a fine strike into the bottom corner on 63 minutes, before Holland rattled home a free-kick in stoppage time to secure the win.

With West Ham U21s winning at Cheltenham, it means Dons go through to the next round of the Papa John’s Trophy with the benefit of a home draw.

Liam Manning made wholesale changes to the side for the Trophy encounter with only Zak Jules and Warren O'Hora keeping their place in the side. David Martin was also in the matchday squad for the first time since May 2017, ironically against Walsall.

Taking on the League Two side, Dons were bright out of the blocks and came close within the opening 15 seconds when Darragh Burns fired over the top, before Dawson Devoy was denied what looked a stonewall penalty when he was downed by Liam Bennett eight minutes later.

Dons looked positive, with Devoy then testing keeper with a free-kick before Burns then spotted Owen Evans off his line with an ambitious 40-yard chip which the keeper was able to gather.

Henry Lawrence's fizzing effort then had the stopped at full stretch as it went just over the bar.

But from there, Walsall stopped the supply line of chances, stopping the flow of balls from Devoy to Conor Grant and Matt Dennis to stifle the visitors' efforts.

At the other end, Andy Williams should have done better but headed over the bar from close range, while Jacob Maddox got Franco Ravizzoli working, albeit with a tame effort from the edge of the box the Argentine easily gathered.

It was much the same start the start of the second-half as both sides prodded and probed to no avail. Both Lawrence and Matt Smith on the opposite flank were impressing playing in positions not seen much during their time at Dons. And having fired one just over in the first-half, Lawrence sparked the game into life on 63 minutes when he fired hard and low this time, picking out the bottom corner to give the visitors the lead - his first career goal.

The Chelsea loanee then had another great chance to extend the lead when he was fed by Jules, but his effort dropped onto the roof of the net.

Walsall made a quadruple change after falling behind and it gave them more of an attacking threat, but Timmy Abraham - brother of Roma and England striker Tammy - headed into the side netting.

Liam Manning spoke of how impressed he was with the mark Nathan Holland left on him after the game against Plymouth on Saturday, and he made his impression count when he won and fired in a free-kick deep into stoppage time to secure the points and top spot in Souther Group C.

Referee: Scott Tallis

Attendance: 1,070

Walsall: Evans, White, Gordon (Allen 73), Monthe, Williams (Johnson 73), Comley, James-Taylor (Abraham 73), Maddox, Cashman (Maher 73), Hutchinson, Bennett

Subs not used: Kinsella, Mukuna, Clarke

MK Dons: Ravizzoli, Tucker, O'Hora, Jules, Smith, Lawrence, Robson, Devoy, Grant (Holland 58), Burns (Barry 58), Dennis (Kayode 58)

Subs not used: Martin, Oyegoke, Kemp, Tripp

Booked: Maddox, Comley, Bennett