Aneke at the double as MK Dons edge past Bury
MK Dons picked up back-to-back wins as they held out to beat Bury 2-1 at stadium:mk.
Two penalties in the opening quarter hour of each half scored by Chuks Aneke proved the vital goals for the Dons to pick up their back-to-back victories. A George Miller goal did bring Bury back into the contest, but the home side held out.
The result means the Dons have moved to within a point of safety after Northampton were beaten by Rotherham, and sees the home side continue to build momentum in their quest to stay in League One.
After ending the long wait for a first win under Dan Micciche against Rotherham, the Dons faced another crucial match as bottom side Bury made the trip to Milton Keynes in a six pointer.
On a bitterly cold afternoon at stadium:mk, it was the visitors who made the livelier start. The visitors had a chance when George Miller’s run teed up Harry Bunn, but his low strike was an easy stop for Lee Nicholls.
Robbie Muirhead followed that up with the first big chance for MK Dons, with the Scot seeing a strike pushed away by Connor Ripley.
Within a few minutes of that, the home side had the chance for a breakthrough from 12 yards. A trip by Peter Clarke on Peter Pawlett saw the Dons awarded a penalty, and Aneke sent Ripley the wrong way.
For the most part, the remainder of the first half was a very tight affair where the two sides struggled in their endeavours to find themselves a goal.
It was towards the half hour mark where chances began to be made, with Elliott Ward making a firm block to keep out Miller moments after Ripley kept out Pawlett’s backheel.
The best chance for a second goal before half-time was for Osman Sow, after the ball found its way into the path of the home striker, but his effort hit the side-netting on its way out.
An opportunity also nearly fell for Muirhead, whose cross drifted towards goal and needed Ripley to stop it potentially drifting in, although in truth it wasn’t a taxing stop for the away keeper.
As the snow that had fallen on-off in the first half became heavier after the break, Bury began in search of an equaliser, with the best chance seeing James Hanson’s header force a fairly straight forward stop out of Nicholls.
MK Dons then began to apply their own pressure, with Muirhead having a shot deflected wide before Aneke headed wide at a corner.
The Dons then had the chance for a second from the penalty spot again when substitute Brandon Thomas-Asante was tripped in the box. For the second time, Aneke stepped up and beat the keeper.
However, the Dons struggled to create further chances to kill the game off after that, and this soon allowed Bury to creep in and try to find a way back.
The best of these chances saw Miller denied by Nicholls, before Neil Danns and Hanson hit efforts wide of the mark.
Bury would then get a way back into the match with just under a quarter an hour of normal time to get back into the contest. A cross from the left hand side was flicked back across goal by Hanson, and Miller tucked the ball into the bottom corner.
From thereon out, it was the visitors who pressed hard to find an equaliser and complete their comeback. But despite a handful of awkward moments, the Dons mostly held firm. A blocked free-kick that saw Ward and Ethan Ebanks-Landell block attempts, before a long ranger from Chris Maguire, were the best Bury could manage.
After that, the Dons were able to run down the clock, and picked themselves up their second win in as many home games. It meant an important duo of results for Micciche’s side, who are now just one point from safety.
MK Dons: Nicholls – Wootton, Ward, Lewington, Williams, Brittain, Upson, Muirhead – Sow (Thomas-Asante 54), Aneke (Ebanks-Landell 85), Pawlett (McGrandles 72)
Subs not used: Sietsma, Cisse, Agard, Ugbo
Goal: Aneke (pen 11, pen 57)
Booked: Aneke, Ebanks-Landell
Bury: Ripley – Edwards (Maguire 59), Cameron, Clarke, Leigh – Bunn (Danns 45), Ince (Dawson 45), O’Shea, Mayor – Hanson, Miller
Subs not used: Murphy, Tutte, Thompson, Styles
Goal: Miller (76)
Booked: Clarke, Cameron, Dawson