Paul Warne left disappointed with MK Dons' result and performance against Accrington Stanley

MK Dons boss Paul Warne voiced his annoyance with his side’s performance and result as they lost to Accrington Stanley.

The Dons were beaten 2-1 by the Lancashire-based club at Stadium MK, with Charlie Caton scoring the winner after Alex Gilbey’s controversial equaliser had cancelled out Isaac Sinclair’s first goal.

The result means that the Dons have lost 4 consecutive home games in all competitions, with the latest being a result Warne accepted after feeling his side’s performance was lacking.

He said, “I can take unlucky results or defeats but our performance level was substandard today. Collectively, we had a couple of players that were performing well but collectively, we were miles off the standards I think we set ourselves. I didn’t see it coming. They’d been training really well this week and were really upbeat and positive, but we just didn’t have any dynamic part of our play today, which is odd because I think that’s one of our strengths.

“We didn’t create enough chances to win the match, which is hugely disappointing, even moreso at home. We just didn’t really turn up.

“When it really came down to it, and sometimes it can be as simple as this, I just didn’t think we won many duels. We looked a little bit soft, which I haven’t said before and it’s something obviously we need to address. There’s different ways to win games but you’ve always got to match the intensity of the opposition and today I don’t think we did.”

Warne felt the attacking part of the Dons’ game was the biggest issue, feeling that the team didn’t test their opponents enough.

He said, “I didn’t think we had enough shots or bodies in the box or crosses or that our set-pieces were successful. We didn’t really ask enough questions of them. That’s my honest opinion and that’s on me. I’m the one who oversees everything and it’s hugely disappointing.

“Even after we scored, we just didn’t have enough of our attacking players on song. That’s what it felt like. It’s like everyone had an off-day at the same time.”

Warne said that he would turn attentions to how to remedy the Dons’ situation, feeling that he would look into whether the team’s set-up would need to change as he battles with injury and selection issues.

He said, “I’m not stupid enough to think that no matter what, I must stay with the same shape. If it needs to go to a 3, that’s absolutely fine – we played with 3 here last year and be nice to get some more of the defenders and full-backs back. In fairness, today, I thought our two better players today were our full-backs, with one a right-winger and the other a centre-mid.

“It would be nice to have some bodies back but we are limited in how we play by who we have fit. But I don’t care how it looks. I’m not a football snob who says we have to stick to a method. If we need to play a 3 or wing-backs instead of wingers, that’s what we’re going to have to do. It’s just about trying to win games.

“Today, we thought we were set up in a way to win a game, but you’ve seen it like I have and in the end, we weren’t good enough.”