Wednesday 3-1 MK Dons

WEDNESDAY maintained their 100 per cent winning record at Hillsborough as they put previously unbeaten MK Dons to the sword 3-1 at Hillsborough on Saturday.

Gary Madine scored a brace of second-half goals while substitute Liam Palmer also got on the scoresheet late on to make sure of the three points for the hosts after Angelo Balanta had given the visitors hope.

Karl Robinson's men arrived at Hillsborough in fine form and topping the table and they showcased their fine flowing football in the first half but just didn't show any real threat in the final third. Wednesday had more punch to their attacking threat after the break and deservedly bagged the spoils.

A bad day at the office for the Dons was complete with the sending off of Jabo Ibehre late on for a second bookable offence.

There was a welcome boost before kick-off for Wednesday with the news that wing wizard Jermaine Johnson was fit enough to start his first game of the season following his knee injury. Clinton Morrison returned to the attack, while Julian Bennett also returned at left-back.

Johnson was keen to make up for lost time and powered forward with somne trademark mazy runs in the early exchanges as both sides started brightly. The visitors were passing the ball around nicely but never really breaking through a stubborn defence.

The Dons had the possession but it was their goalkeeper, David Martin, who had to be on his toes early on as Morrison came a whisker away from connecting with a dangerous Ben Marshall cross.

The game was a decent advert for League One football for the most part, although neither goalkeeper had much to do with the midfield battle taking home of the game.

Stephen Gleeson was forced off with an injury following a coming together with Bennett, although it was a challenge won fairly by the Owls left-back.

Chances were far and far between but Martin was forced into action just before half-time when he had to tip a looping Bennett effort over the bar and to safety.

Half-Time: Wednesday 0-0 MK Dons

O'Donnell was then forced into a save to deny Ibehre shortly after the restart, but the Owls upped a gear at the start of the second half and were rewarded nine minutes in with the opener.

Palmer had come on to replace Johnson at half-time and the change seemed to work well, with a loose Dons ball being picked up in the Wednesday midfield before being fed to Morrison, who turned and gave Madine the opportunity to fire the hosts ahead.

It gave Wednesday a big lift and they promptly added a second just ten minutes later. It was substitute Palmer who made it, drilling a superb pin-point cross into the box for Madine to powerfully head beyond Martin for 2-0.

Wednesday were looking comfortable on their two-goal cushion but suddenly the visitors were back in the game when they pulled on back with 13 minutes to go.

Megson won't have been happy with his defence, allowing Balanta to waltz through a static back-line before curving a fine effort beyond O'Donnell which dinked in off the post.

It could have got better for Robinson's men had O'Donnell not produced a brilliant finger-tip save to deny former Ipswich Town man Dean Bowditch from long-range.

But that was as close as the Dons came from finding the back of the net again and the Owls made totally sure of the three points with a minute to go when Madine put Palmer in to make it 3-1.

The action wasn't over there though and Ibehre was sent off for a second bookable offence for leaving a foot in on a challenge for the ball with O'Donnell.

Full-Time: Wednesday 3-1 MK Dons

Wednesday: O'Donnell, Buxton, Bennett, Jones, Batth, Prutton, Semedo, Johnson, Marshall, Madine, Morrison. Subs: Jameson, R Johnson, O'Connor, Lines, Palmer.

MK Dons: Martin, Lewington, Smith, MacKenzie, Williams, Chadwick, Gleeson, Potter, Bowditch, Ibehre, MacDonald. Subs: McLaughlin, MacNamee, Chicksen, Powell, Balanta.

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