Grimsby Town took all three points at Stadium MK on Saturday afternoon in Sky Bet League Two action, holding off a spirited fightback from ten-man MK Dons to secure a 3–2 victory.

First-half goals from Kieran Green, Jaze Kabia, and Charles Vernam gave David Artell’s visiting side a commanding lead before the Dons rallied late, despite Jon Mellish’s controversial red card.

As far as football matches are concerned, the game got off to a nightmare start for Milton Keynes Dons, who conceded inside ten minutes.

Grimsby midfielder Kieran Green found space on the edge of the area and slotted calmly past Craig MacGillivray to break the deadlock.

It was a warning of what was to come, as Grimsby capitalised on every defensive lapse in a dominant opening period.

Just eleven minutes later, the lead was doubled.

Kabia timed his run perfectly to beat the offside trap and raced onto a loose ball after MacGillivray’s initial save.

With the goal gaping, he made no mistake from six yards to make it 2–0.

The hosts barely had time to regroup before the third blow landed. On 30 minutes, Charles Vernam curled a sublime effort from the edge of the box into the top corner, capping a clinical first-half performance from the Mariners.

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Then came the game’s most contentious moment.

A long ball over the top was contested by Mellish and Kabia.

Mellish raised his foot to control the ball, catching Kabia in the midsection, though replays suggested minimal contact any higher.

The Grimsby forward went down clutching his face, prompting referee Oliver Mackey—unsighted during the incident—to show a straight red.

Assistant referee Abbas Khan, positioned nearby, failed to offer any clarity, and Mellish was sent off to the fury of the home fans.

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With the Dons trailing 3–0 and down to ten men at halftime, a heavy defeat seemed inevitable.

But whatever Paul Warne said in the dressing room appeared to ignite his players, who came out with renewed energy and purpose.

Almost immediately after the restart, the Dons were handed a lifeline.

Marvin Ekpiteta floated a dangerous ball into the area, and in the ensuing confusion, Grimsby midfielder George McEachran inadvertently turned it into his own net.

Spurred on by the goal and a vocal home crowd, MK Dons pressed forward.

Both sides had half-chances in an increasingly scrappy second half, but clear openings remained rare.

In the 85th minute, controversy struck again.

Dons captain Alex Gilbey was caught by a high boot from Darragh Burns—an incident almost identical to Mellish’s earlier dismissal.

This time, however, only a free-kick was awarded, with no card shown, leading to loud protests and further frustration on the touchline.

From the resulting set-piece, the Dons had strong appeals for a handball in the box waved away by Mackey, as several players surrounded the official demanding a penalty. None was given.

The hosts refused to lie down. In stoppage time, substitute Conor Lemonheigh-Evans arrived late into the area and guided the ball calmly into the bottom corner to reduce the deficit to one.

Suddenly, a dramatic comeback looked possible.

Then, with virtually the last kick of the match, striker Callum Paterson met a deep cross into the box with an audacious overhead kick.

The effort had the Grimsby keeper, Christy Pym beaten, but agonisingly cleared the crossbar by inches—leaving Grimsby to breathe a sigh of relief as they held on for the win.

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The result leaves MK Dons facing both tactical and personnel dilemmas. Mellish’s suspension could not come at a worse time, with fellow left-back Joe Tomlinson still recovering from injury, the only other recognised option in the squad.

Head Coach Paul Warne may be forced to reshuffle his defence, with Marvin Ekpiteta, Charlie Waller, or Luke Offord potential makeshift solutions in the left-back role.

It’s a far from ideal scenario for a side with promotion ambitions.

Significant investment in the summer transfer window has heightened expectations and matches like this highlight the fine margins between success and disappointment.

Grimsby, in contrast, continue their strong run of form following a shock Carabao Cup win over Manchester United and solid league performances.

They were ruthless in the first half and managed the game well to an extent after the break, despite the late scare.

For MK Dons, the second-half display offered signs of resilience and togetherness, even if it came too late to rescue a point.

Warne will take encouragement from the fight his side showed but will know that such slow starts cannot continue if promotion remains the target.

They will need to regroup quickly—and find a defensive solution—before their next league outing, away at Chesterfield in a weeks’ time.

Sitting in ninth place, four points off the promotion places, is by no means an insurmountable position to overcome, but even at this early stage, you do not want to find yourself falling too far off the leading pack.

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