Russell Martin: Bravery guided MK Dons to vital victory

Posted Sunday, February 02, 2020 by PA

MK Dons boss Russell Martin hailed his side’s bravery and tenacity as they dug deep against high-flying Wycombe to move two places clear of the Sky Bet League One relegation zone.

Rhys Healey netted his second goal in as many games for Martin’s men before Ben Gladwin rounded things off late on with a sweet left-footed strike, as Wycombe suffered their fifth consecutive away league defeat.

And Martin was left beaming at the performance but also the three points when it mattered most in their battle against the drop.

“I am really pleased for the players because they were excellent today. I said to them before the game that it was not going to be pretty, but we had to try and take control of the game when we could,” said Martin.

“I thought to a man we were brilliant; we were brave against a different challenge to what we have come up against recently. Our aggressiveness and intensity were the reason we picked up the result today.

“They are a really hard team to break down and I think they must be one of the hardest working teams in the league, which probably explains why they are where they are.

“It is really pleasing to have picked up maximum points in two games against key opposition – we have now set ourselves up for another important run of games in February.

“It is a crazy league, and anyone can beat anyone. Obviously, I am really pleased to be in our current position given where we were when we took over, but nothing is achieved yet and we cannot get carried away.

“I do not look at the table and we just have to maintain our performance levels and it is my job to make sure the players do that.”

Martin’s men found the net on 67 minutes after Jordan Houghton’s inviting cross from the left was flicked on by the busy Carlton Morris, before Healey raced in at the back post to tap home his eighth goal of the season.

Gladwin rounded things off for MK Dons with a fine left-footed strike four minutes from time, as Martin’s side secured a second-successive league win to move above AFC Wimbledon in the table.

Wycombe manager Gareth Ainsworth said: “It was a real close game and there was not much in it. I did not see MK Dons breaking us down in open play at all. I thought if anything it looked like we would create the chances but, in the end, we have not managed to have a shot on target.

“You have to hit the target and we have not done that today. They have scored from a set-play, which we are usually pretty good at defending, but it is the second phase set-play that has cost us.

“We lost the battles in midfield for their second goal and that is the one that has killed us, it is a long-range effort and it is disappointing.

“There are no major panics from us yet. We are not hitting the target now and we have not got the budget to get what we want, but I believe we do have the resources in the squad.”