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MATCH REPORT: MK Dons 3-1 Newport County

22 November 2022

Club News

MATCH REPORT: MK Dons 3-1 Newport County

22 November 2022

Our EFL Trophy campaign for 2022-23 ended at Stadium:MK after a 3-1 defeat at League One MK Dons.

Darragh Burns made it 1-0 with an acrobatic effort from close range following a corner from the left. 

Matthew Dennis then doubled the hosts advantage in the 59th minute from a tight angle on the edge of the box after an initial effort was deflected, which wrong-footed Nick Townsend, and Tennis tucked in for 2-0.

Will Grigg made it 3-0 17 minutes from time after finding space in behind the County defence before dinking over the onrushing Townsend.

Thierry Nevers got a goal back for the Port in the 86th minute, but it proved to be little more than consolation for County.

MK started the game on the front foot and forced the first save of the night as Conor Grant's strike from the right of the box forced Townsend to get down low to keep it out before County cleared. 

Our first opening came on the quarter-hour mark as Omar Bogle's cross from the right of the box picked out Adam Lewis on the other side of the area but his effort was wide of the near post. 

A minute later, Bogle himself came close to breaking the deadlock as he was denied from clodse range by Chelsea loanee goalkeeper Jamie Cumming. 

The hosts improved again later in the half though, with Aston Villa loan forward Louie Barry curling over the bar from the left of the box before the deadlock was broken in the 27th minute by Burns.

County had two more half-chances before the first half came to a close as Mickey Demetriou headed over the bar from the edge of the box while Adam Lewis volleyed over after he met Lewis Collins' ball in from the right. 

Bogle had a good opening to equalise two minutes after the restart, but his effort went over the bar after he found space in the area. 

MK Dons doubled their lead through Dennis though just before the hour on 59 minutes as the League One side built a comfortable cushion. 

Grigg was introduced in the 63rd minute and two minutes later he was denied by Townsend after a cross from the left flicked off his toe but Townsend made himself big to keep it 2-0. 

Declan Drysdale brought out another save from Cumming after he got round the back after a deep free-kick was swung into the centre back but Cumming pushed Drysdale's effort away from danger. 

Grigg extended MK's lead further in the 77th minute though to secure the hosts' progression to the last 16 of the EFL Trophy. 

County did get a goal back four minutes from time though as Nevers found the back of the net from close range to give the Exiles who travelled to Stadium:MK something to smile about. 

MK Dons: Jamie Cumming, Jack Tucker, Warren O'Hora (C) (Zak Jules '82), Ethan Robson, Daniel Oyegoke, Conor Grant, Louie Barry (Nathan Holland '52), Darragh Burns (Dan Kemp '82), Daniel Harvie, Dawson Devoy (Josh McEachran '63), Matthew Dennis (Will Grigg '63)

Subs not used: Franco Ravizzoli, Henry Lawrence

Newport County: Nick Townsend, Declan Drysdale, Matt Dolan (C), Mickey Demetriou (Harrison Bright '79), Aaron Lewis, Adam Lewis (Robbie Willmott '58), Scot Bennett (Thierry Nevers '79), Sam Bowen, Nathan Moriah-Welsh, Lewis Collins (Will Evans '67), Omar Bogle (Chanka Zimba '67)

Subs not used: Joe Day, James Waite


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