Upwardly mobile MK Dons delight manager Mike Williamson

Posted Sunday, April 07, 2024 by PA

MK Dons’ boss Mike Williamson is keeping his feet on the floor as the race for automatic promotion from Sky Bet League Two reaches a thrilling climax.

The Dons’ promotion hopes were handed a boost as goals in each half from Max Dean and Alex Gilbey sealed a 2-0 win at bottom of the table Forest Green.

Dons’ win sees Williamson’s side climb to third in the table with three games to go.

The Dons’ boss heaped praise on his side, saying: “The lads deserve a lot of credit because it was a real hard battle for 95 minutes and we had to show all sides of our character.

“We were huffing and puffing and I thought as though our frustration was starting to seep a little bit, but we need to just keep a lid on that and just purely focus on what we were trying to achieve.

“And because it’s a tight pitch and they were very organised and disciplined, it was going to be fine margins.

“We’re going to enjoy ourselves, that’s the only way to go about things. When I came in we could see what the remaining games were and the state of play, and so I would have snapped your hands off to be where we are now.”

Goalscorers Dean and Gilbey have been key to the Dons’ promotion ambitions, but Williamson felt it was a collective effort.

He added: “They’re huge characters, big personalities, and a lot of quality for us on the pitch. But for me, the emphasis is on growth, and I feel like it’s a real collective effort.”.

Struggling Rovers fell behind five minutes before the break. Dom Thompson inexplicably surrendered the ball to Dean, who finished well beyond Vicente Reyes.

A scuffle ensued as both teams entered the tunnel at the break, but it was the promotion-chasing Dons who came out punching a minute after the restart and Norwich loanee Reyes need to save a Gilbey strike from the edge of the box.

Leeds loanee Lewis Bate cut Rovers open in the 50th minutes for Kyran Lofthouse to pick out Gilbey, who made no mistake in doubling the visitors’ lead.

Rovers remain rooted to the foot of the table – three points adrift of safety with four games to play, but defiant boss Steve Cotterill felt his side were in contention throughout the game.

He said: “I thought in the first half, up until the goal I thought we might have had the better chances.

“They’re a good team and are up there for a reason and it could have been so different.

“I’m disappointed with the result and the manner of the goals, but I’m not disappointed with their performance.”