Wickham fires Dons to victory over Sunderland

Connor Wickham scored his first MK Dons goal against his former club Sunderland on Saturday as they won 2-1 at the Stadium of Light.

Mo Eisa gave Dons the lead just two minutes into the second half before Ross Stewart equalised for the hosts 11 minutes later.

Wickham, who spent four years at Sunderland earlier in his career needed just two minutes on his return to find the net after Troy Parrott’s break, firing Dons back in front with 15 minutes to go and even had a chance to double his tally in stoppage time but fired wide.

The result keeps Dons third in League One, but Sunderland drop five points adrift of them, now out of the play-off spots in seventh.

Sticking for the most part with the side which has enjoyed success of late, Liam Manning made just one change to his side as Mo Eisa returned to the starting line-up, replacing Theo Corbeanu. There was good news on the bench for Dons too, with David Kasumu returning to the squad for the first time in six weeks.

With the sides separated by just one place and two points in League One, a feisty game was anticipated but the first half did not deliver much. A slow and patient buid-up from both sides barely raised a sound from the home fans, who were far from happy with any backwards pass from their side, which suits Dons to the ground.

Without Theo Corbeanu on the right, Tennai Watson proved a threat for Dons on that flank and had the first real sight of goal when he broke in behind, drawing out keeper Anthony Patterson but firing into his chest.

Mo Eisa, who came into the side at the expense of Corbeanu, had a decent early showing, giving Dons a good option in behind but struggled to carve himself a chance, while Troy Parrott had the best chance of the opening half, beating the offside trap but his effort was tipped over by Patterson.

The home fans' impatience with their side did not draw much out of the Black Cats though, with Jamie Cumming barely required other than to field a couple of crosses in his direction.

The second half though burst into life just two minutes in, when Josh McEachran raced through and with Twine to his left, he opted for Eisa on his right and me slotted nicely under Patterson to give Dons the lead.

The visitors were scrappy in the first 15 minutes of the half though despite taking the lead, and their advantage lasted just 11 minutes when Ross Stewart climbed above Harry Darling to head into the bottom corner to equalise.

Connor Wickham came on to a mixed reception from the home supporters. He spent four seasons at the Stadium of Light earlier in his career, but he bit the hand which once fed him just two minutes into his return. Parrott won the ball in the centre circle to spark a two-on-one counter-attack, and slid Wickham in at the perfect moment to net his first goal for Dons with 15 minutes to go.

With the animosity growing amongst the home fans, their side did little to enthuse them in the closing stages - Stewart's poor first touch squandered a good chance from inside six yards, while he went on to head wide and then over the top in the closing stages.

Dons had their backs to the wall in stoppage time but Wickham could have put a bow on the victory with a second strike from a similar position to his first, but put it inches wide as Dons held on to move four points clear of the Black Cats in third.

Referee: Ollie Yates

Attendance: 30,451

Sunderland: Patterson, Winchester, Wright, Doyle, Cirkin, Evans (Roberts 78), Neil (Clarke 56), Matete, Dajaku (Embleton 56), Pritchard, Stewart

Subs not used: Hoffmann, Defoe, Xhemajli, Hume, Roberts

MK Dons: Cumming, Lewington, O'Hora, Darling, Harvie, Watson (Kesler-Hayden 87), Coventry, McEachran, Twine, Parrott, Eisa (Wickham 73)

Subs not used: Ravizzoli, Smith, Kasumu, Corbeanu, Boateng

Booked: Evans, McEachran, Harvie