MK Dons end Leasing.com Trophy group stage with Wycombe loss
MK Dons ended the group stage of the Leasing.com Trophy with a 2-1 home defeat by Wycombe Wanderers.
Brennan Dickenson swept MK Dons in front just after the half hour. But Wycombe would equalise just before the hour through a fine goal by Nnamdi Ofoborh.
A late Josh Parker volley ensured that Wycombe would end as winners, with the winner coming moments after Kieran Agard and Giles Phillips were sent off.
The result means MK Dons end the group stage with a loss, but earlier wins over Stevenage and the Fulham academy side had already assured their second round spot.
Russell Martin’s second game in charge of the Dons was also his second outside of league competition. It also represented an opportunity for experimentation, with MK Dons already through as group winners and Wycombe already out.
With very little riding on the contest, the opening stages were played at a quiet tempo. The best chances fell the way of MK Dons, but some were denied by the offside flag. The closest to a success saw a Hiram Boateng effort caught by Wycombe keeper Cameron Yates.
As the half progressed, Wycombe did begin to try and apply pressure in their own hope for a breakthrough. But the best they managed was a few blocked set-pieces.
It would be the Dons who took the lead. Dickenson won a free-kick as the attacker and Kieran Agard tried to press the Wycombe defence. From the set-piece, Dickenson placed a strike into the top corner.
The visitors would see a few half-chances come close before half-time. But it was the second half where Wycombe would begin to have more sights of goal.
Half-time sub Paul Smyth saw an effort bobble wide, while Alex Pattison lashed a shot off target when well-placed.
Dylan Asonganyi saw one deflected wide, before Wycombe responded, as Nick Freeman was denied by Stuart Moore.
But there was little Moore could do about Wycombe’s next attempt. After MK Dons failed to clear a corner, the ball was worked for Ofoborh, who lashed a fine volley through a crowded penalty box and into the back of the net.
In response, MK Dons tried their luck. Asonganyi had a shot parried by Yates, before Agard hit the bar with an open goal, although it wouldn’t have counted had it gone in as Agard was offside. Hiram Boateng also saw one denied by Yates.
Wycombe felt it should’ve been 2-1, as Alex Samuel outmuscled Baily Cargill and saw a shot cannon off the bar. The visitors felt it had crossed the line, but the referee was not convinced.
MK Dons then felt aggrieved after Jacob Gardiner-Smith seemed to get away with a yellow for a last man foul. But the game continued to flow in an open manner.
The away side had more chances but their single best came on a fast counter, as Smyth saw a shot denied by Moore.
Away goalkeeper Yates would then be called on to deny Agard after the MK Dons forward was played through.
MK Dons then came close, as Yates made a double save to deny David Kasumu and Callum Brittain. Wycombe also then made Moore work, as the home goalkeeper kept out Josh Parker.
The referee then became the centre of controversy, as Agard and Giles Phillips were both sent off for their part in an off-ball incident. Particular confusion reigned over the red for Agard, who seemed perplexed to have been dismissed.
Just after the game moved into added time, Wycombe completed their turn around, as a cross found its way to Parker, who lashed home what turned out to be the winning strike into the roof of the net.
MK Dons: Moore – Brittain, Williams, Cargill, Sorinola (Brennan 81) – Houghton – Kasumu, Dickenson (Mason 73) – Boateng – Agard, Asonganyi (McGrandles 63)
Subs not used: Nicholls, Bowery, Pattison, Freeman
Goal: Dickenson (31)
Sent Off: Agard
Booked: Boateng, Dickenson
Wycombe: Yates – Gardiner-Smith, Jombati, Phillips, Mascoll (Jacobson 90) – Pattison, Ofoborh, Freeman – Samuel (Wheeler 73), Parker, Kashket (Smyth 45)
Subs not used: Allsop, Bloomfield, Thompson
Goal: Ofoborh (58), Parker (90+1)
Sent Off: Phillips
Booked: Ofoborh, Gardiner-Smith