Harvie kick-starts Jackson era at MK Dons with a vital victory

The Mark Jackson era at MK Dons got off to a winning start as Daniel Harvie fired in the only goal of the game to see them past fellow strugglers Forest Green Rovers on Boxing Day.

Harvie’s strike on 58 minutes from the edge of the box was a fine one from a half-cleared Josh McEachran corner, moving them to within a point of getting out of the bottom four.

It is the first time Dons have been able to put together back-to-back league win, and Jackson is the first manager since Paul Tisdale in 2018 to win his first game in charge.

Mark Jackson cames in and fielded a similar side to which lined up against Leicester City on Tuesday night, bringing back Bradley Johnson to the side to replace Dawson Devoy and Nathan Holland in favour of Conor Grant.

With little time to properly make his mark on the Dons side since his appointment, Jackson could only watch on in the first-half as the home fans were treated to more of the fare they were used to seeing under the previous regime. While there was pace and enthusiasm in the first five minutes, it was quickly diminished as Rovers began to get a foothold in the game.

And with both teams sat in the drop zone at the start of play, the quality of play on display reflected it. Dons at times played right on the edge of danger with some of their play out from the back, and Jack Tucker twice nearly gifted chances to the visitors, but he had both Warren O'Hora and keeper Jamie Cumming to thank for keeping it all square.

The Dons keeper needed to be at his best as Rovers hit a purple patch, denying Oliver Casey and former Dons defender Baily Cargill from close range, tipping the former's header onto the post as the home side held on.

At the other end, Dons seldom threatened but should have done better when Bradley Johnson's free-kick was palmed away and the rebound should have been put away by Will Grigg, who was taken somewhat by surprise by the ball coming back into his direction, heading straight at keeper Luke McGee.

Mo Eisa too, playing for the most part on the right of the front three, tested McGee with a low effort he turned around the corner.

Dons appeared for the second-half with more cut and thrust instilled in their attacking play, with Grigg coming close to getting on the end of crosses from Daniel Harvie and Nathan Holland, before a rare shot from Josh McEachran forced a save from McGee.

But then the hosts finally made the breakthrough just before the hour to get the Mark Jackson era underway. McEachran's corner from the right was a poor one but only cleared as far as Harvie lurking on the edge of the box, and he could take a touch before firing into the bottom corner.

Eisa should have doubled the lead two minutes later when he was put through on goal by Johnson, but his effort was scuffed and deflected behind for a corner.

Though results elsewhere saw Dons out of the bottom four briefly, the result at Stadium MK didn't really look in doubt after Harvie's strike. Rovers threatened to threaten but Cumming was far less involved than he was in the opening 45 minutes as Dons were cheered to victory at the end.

Referee: Lewis Smith

Attendance: 6,516

MK Dons: Cumming, Tucker, O’Hora, Jules, Harvie (Barry 87), Watson, McEachran (Devoy 64), Johnson, Holland, Eisa, Grigg (Smith 73)

Subs not used: Ravizzoli, Robson, Grant, Lawrence

Forest Green Rovers: McGee, O'Keefe (Stevens 78), Bernard (Fiabema 78), Casey, Cargill, Boyes, Stevenson, McGeouch (Godwin-Malife 78), Peart-Harris, Matt (Little 66), March

Subs not used: Thomas, Bunker, Hendry

Booked: O'Hora, McEachran, Little, Tucker, Casey