MK Dons and Cambridge United share the spoils as Paterson notches another to his goal tally

MK Dons and Cambridge United were left to take a point apiece following a 1-1 draw at Stadium MK on Saturday afternoon in Sky Bet League Two.

Goals either side of the break by Callum Paterson and Sullay Kaikai meant both sides came away with something to show for the match.

Both sides picked up injuries with the Dons losing Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Laurence Maguire, whilst Cambridge had Sullay Kaikai depart with a niggle.

Head coaches Paul Warne and Neil Harris will both leave Saturday afternoon frustrated that their respective sides, Milton Keynes Dons and Cambridge United, failed to convert a greater share of their chances in what proved to be an entertaining draw.

The previous three meetings between the sides had all finished 1–0, suggesting a tightly contested affair rather than a goal-laden encounter, and history once again proved a reliable guide.

Despite creating several promising opportunities, MK Dons were restricted to a single goal, either through wasteful finishing or fine saves from the visiting goalkeeper.

Cambridge, meanwhile, generated chances of their own and enjoyed a sustained spell of second-half pressure that could easily have yielded more than one goal.

Cambridge United have been notably effective from set pieces this season, boasting the strongest set-piece expected goals (xG) record in League Two.

However, that attacking strength is offset by defensive vulnerabilities, with United ranking 22nd out of 24 sides in defensive xG after 19 matches.

The opening exchanges saw both teams contest control of the midfield without either side asserting sustained dominance.

The deadlock came close to being broken early on when a miscommunication allowed the ball to fall to Nathaniel Mendez-Laing some forty yards from goal.

His incisive pass found Alex Gilbey, but a heavy touch allowed the goalkeeper time to recover.

Forced into attempting a chipped effort from close range, Gilbey saw his shot partially smothered before the keeper scrambled back to prevent it from crossing the line.

Moments later, MK Dons squandered an even clearer opportunity.

Laurence Maguire was left completely unmarked six yards out from a corner, yet inexplicably headed off target with the goal gaping.

The chance, worth 0.27xG and the highest of the match, epitomised Cambridge’s defensive frailties and is one Maguire will undoubtedly rue.

Cambridge’s centre forward Louis Appéré was equally culpable at the other end following a calamitous moment from goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray.

Attempting to claim a second ball from a corner, he spilled it centrally, allowing Louis Appéré to pounce.

However, Marvin Ekpiteta blocked the initial effort on the line, and Appéré then skewed the rebound wide, much to the relief of the home side.

The opening twenty minutes were frenetic yet costly for MK Dons, who suffered two injury setbacks. Mendez-Laing was forced off with what appeared to be a thigh injury, before Maguire followed shortly after having taken a knock to the shin.

Despite set pieces posing the primary threat at both ends, the opening goal arrived from open play.

The Dons broke the deadlock through Callum Paterson, who netted his sixth goal of the season.

After a prolonged spell of possession featuring a series of probing passes, the ball was eventually worked to Liam Kelly, whose forward pass released Paterson.

The striker took one touch before firing a low effort into the corner, leaving goalkeeper Jake Eastwood with no chance.

Since arriving in the summer, Paterson has been a regular presence in Warne’s side but has often been starved of the service he enjoyed at higher levels.

While his goal return may appear modest, his finishing has been clinical when chances have fallen favourably.

With an xG of 4.11 for the season, Paterson is currently outperforming expectations.

Early in the second half, Paterson went close to doubling his tally with a driven effort that forced an excellent save from Eastwood.

Chasing a ball played into the channel, the angle narrowed with each stride, reflected in the modest 0.10xG value of the chance, making his eventual denial somewhat unfortunate.

The match then burst into life following a round of substitutions, as Sullay Kaikai produced a moment of brilliance to equalise.

From around 30 yards out, the former MK Dons winger unleashed a fierce strike that arrowed into the top corner, leaving MacGillivray helpless despite a full-stretch dive.

Kaikai’s goal once again underlined MK Dons’ struggles to keep clean sheets, having managed just one in their previous twelve matches across all competitions.

With such defensive fragility, the burden placed on the attacking unit to consistently outscore opponents remains considerable.

As the game entered its closing stages, the quality of chances diminished, with both sides huffing and puffing without finding a decisive breakthrough.

Despite the lack of a last-minute winner, both sets of supporters remained vocal until the final whistle, as the contest drifted to a conclusion with the points shared.

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