Sorry Spirites succumb to Scott’s silky Dons

Scott Hogan and a Alex Gilbey brace saw Milton Keynes Dons collect all three points at home to Chesterfield, a victory that moves them into the automatic Promotion places for the first time this season.

Whilst the weather may have changed, the League form of MK Dons certainly has not, extending their winning streak to six games and going unbeaten since early October.

After conceding the fastest goal in the club’s history three weeks ago, taking Swindon Town nineteen seconds to score, the Dons broke their own record, scoring after just twelve seconds, courtesy of Scott Hogan.

The Dons could not believe their luck to see the Spirites defence carved open so early into the match and Hogan did not hesitate to take full advantage, slotting home his third goal since joining and entering the record books in the process, breaking Aaron Wilbraham’s long-standing 17-year record after the veteran netted away at Grimsby in November 2007.

It was a clinical affair.

Chesterfield, who know they had their work cut out before taking to the field given the host’s run of results, made their task even harder for themselves, going down to 10-men when midfielder Darren Oldaker was given his marching orders after just 24 minutes, rather inexcusably for dissent.

Just one minute later, Alex Gilbey steered home to double the lead.

As the game entered the second half, the Dons had numerous chances to seal the result, and, finally converted a third, from Gilbey, at the double for the night to sink the sorry Spirites and earn Scott Lindsey’s side all three points.

Since joining the club and taking over with the Dons sitting in the relegation zone, it is a monumental turnaround in form for Milton Keynes under the stewardship of Scott Lindsey.

Having won seven and draw two of his 10 league matches at the helm, the 52-year-old has really pressed his mark upon a squad that on paper had so much potential to give, but had failed to live up to the promise under previous head coach Mike Williamson.

The turnaround in form has truly been a transformation from earlier in the campaign.

The passing appears to made with more purpose, the defence are statistically facing less shots and the ball has an average position which is just inside the opposition half, which, for a side that prides itself on building and retaining pressure via passing out from the back, is quite an impressive achievement.

Since joining, Lindsey’s side has only tasted defeat against high-flying Port Vale, whilst picking up wins against a number of sides sat in-or-around the top half of the table.

For his side to push on and achieve the goal of Promotion set to the playing staff, as the head coach mentioned in a pre-game interview before Chesterfield, he will need the run to continue into the heart of the festive period.

A tough set of fixtures are now on the horizon which can easily become make-or-break following a good spell of results, suddenly two defeats in a row could derail all of the forward momentum, but, two more wins would see a gap to the teams before begin to form.

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