Page 87 - Phonebox Magazine November 2014

Chelsea loan man, Patrick Bamford, has had to save Karl Robinson’s men from embarrassment once again. Bamford’s late top-drawer strike awarded the home team all three points in a 3-2 win over Rotherham United.
As usual, the MK Dons dominated the first 10 minutes of possession, and had a chance to go ahead on 5 minutes. Jason Banton’s shot was deflected into the path of Patrick Bamford, but he saw his effort palmed over the crossbar by the stretching Scott Shearer. Rotherham’s best chance of getting the ball in the opening 20 minutes, was to pressure the home side and hope for a mistake, which almost paid off. Darren Potter slipped upon receiving a pass from David Martin, which presented the ball to Rotherham striker Alex Revell. However, in the one on one, The Dons’ goalkeeper stood strong and blocked the side-footed attempt from the 30 year old.
MK Dons broke the deadlock on the stroke of halftime. Patrick Bamford received the ball in the middle of Rotherham’s half. He proceeded to chip a delightful ball into the path of Steven Gleeson in the 6 yard box. Appearing to have been tripped by Michael O’Conner, the Irish midfielder took a tumble and the referee had no choice but to point to the spot and show O’Connor a red card, sending him in for an early bath. Shaun Williams only just converted the spot kick, squeezing it under the body of the unlucky Shearer. The visitors were almost level just seconds before the whistle, as a glorious through ball splits the Dons’ defence right open. Alex Revell had a clean sight of goal but was unselfish as he squared the ball across to the waiting Robert Milsom. However, MK Dons centre back Tom Flanagan was able to read the pass and cut out a certain goal, much to the irritation of the travelling supporters.
The first 15 minutes of the second half was very lacklustre from both sides, as neither team could keep hold of the ball or create chances. Nevertheless, the home side doubled their lead on the 65 minute mark, as Powell’s low cross from the right slipped though the fingers of a sprawled Shearer, and fell to man of the match Ben Reeves, who prodded home his first goal of the League season to make it 2-0. Reeves should have doubled his goal tally just minutes later as he beat the offside trap, and had all the time in the world to set himself up for a shot. He may have had too much time on his hands as he dragged his shot well wide of the goal, and that missed chance looked as though it was going to haunt the former Southampton man, as two minutes of chaos in the Dons’ defence gifted 10 man Rotherham two goals. The first was a cross from the right hand side that found the head of un-marked Lee Freklington, who wrong-footed the goalkeeper substitute Ian Mcloughlin to decrease the deficit to just one goal. The equaliser came at 73 minutes, as a hopeful long ball was thumped up the pitch by Shaun Shearer. Tom Flanagan completely misjudged his header and inadvertently lobbed his own goalkeeper, a moment to forget for the 21 year old. The home side looked as though they had thrown away another 2 points, but Patrick Bamford still had time to make his mark on this match in style. After some brilliant one touch play on the edge of the Rotherham penalty area by Daniel Powell and Steven Gleeson, Izale McLeod led the ball to the 20 year old for him to curl a sublime right footed masterpiece into the top corner and steal all three points for the Dons.
Karl Robinson’s men keep their unbeaten home record intact for another fixture, but as the manger admitted to the press mid-week, the other strikers need to step up their game and support Bamford: “It’s too much pressure to put on his young shoulders” to rely on him to score the goals.
MK DONS
by Matt Delaney
Premier League Quality Required To Rescue The MK Dons Yet Again
Phonebox Magazine 87