Liam Manning hopes Stadium MK can become fortress after impressive win

Posted Sunday, November 14, 2021 by PA

Liam Manning believes his players are turning Stadium MK into a Sky Bet League One fortress after his dominant side beat Cambridge 4-1.

Scott Twine and Max Watters’ braces did the damage as the Dons climbed into the play-off places with their second consecutive league victory.

Sam Smith netted a late consolation for Mark Bonner’s United but the visitors remain in mid-table and six points adrift of the top six.

The Dons have lost just twice at home in the league this season and boss Manning said: “We’re turning this into a really difficult venue for teams to come to.

“I thought we were really good and I was pleased with numerous things. We controlled the game really well and there were some really enjoyable moments.

“The quality in front of goal was really enjoyable to watch. The guys have come in after and they are disappointed that we’ve conceded.

“Having a variety of sources of goals is really important over the course of the season. I’m so pleased with how clinical in front of goal we were.

“We showed that we were comfortable out of possession, and that’s another new experience for the group.

“The challenge now is to keep pushing, striving and not settling for what we have. We have to keep working to become better versions of ourselves.”

Manning’s resurgent team took the lead when Twine tapped home unmarked in the six-yard box from partner-in-crime Watters’ cross.

And they combined once again for the second after Watters raced through from Twine’s through ball to double the Dons’ advantage.

Twine added his second with a superb free-kick before half-time, with Watters wrapping it up the other side of the break after linking with Twine again to volley home.

Smith tapped home a late goal for Cambridge but United’s two-match winning league run came to an end.

U’s boss Bonner said: “Their creation of chances was very good and the finishing of their attacks was better than ours throughout the game. They caused us so many problems.

“It was much better in the second half as we played with purpose and intensity, but the context had changed at that point, so I don’t want to happy clap a 4-1 defeat.

“They were athletically very difficult to control. The game ran away from us in the first half – it got horrible really and we couldn’t get into it.

“They punished us for mistakes and the quality of their attacking players have caused us massive problems all day.

“We’re lacking a bit of experience in defence at the moment and we needed to get a bit more experience in the back four.

“There’s a lot to learn from today. There’s a gulf between the two teams and our challenges will be different this season, so we need to close the gap with the teams around us over the next few games.”