MK Dons pick up point from home opener against Huddersfield

MK Dons made it two draws out of two in the league after a 1-1 draw at home with Huddersfield Town.

Joe Taylor’s early goal had given the visitors the lead at Stadium MK, but Aaron Collins’ equaliser in the opening ten minutes of the second half saw the home side come back to take a share of the points.

The draw means that, following last weekend’s tie with Oxford, Paul Warne’s side have picked up two draws in their first two games of their return to League One.

After conceding a last minute goal at Oxford in their league opener, the Dons had a big test awaiting for them in the form of Huddersfield, who’d begun the season with a comfortable 3-0 win over AFC Wimbledon in West Yorkshire.

It would be the visitors would duly struck first. Ryan Ledson’s through pass fell kindly for Taylor, who got away from 2 of the Dons’ defenders and charged forward. The striker’s effort duly found the back of the net despite Craig MacGillivray getting a hand to it.

Huddersfield duly began to search for more. Taylor would be in again through a similar move to his earlier goal, with the striker denied by MacGillivray at the keeper’s near post.

The Dons did begin to offer more, with Collins having a strike blocked and Ryan Wintle being denied by away keeper Matt Young.

Taylor would be a particularly menacing presence for the visitors, with the striker blasting one off target before he then received Ashley Fletcher’s cutback only to be denied by MacGillivray.

MacGillivray would be called upon again to deny two efforts by Jay Smith-Sway, before the Terriers then thought they had managed to score again.

With a pocket of space outside the box, Taylor opted to have a go and his long-range effort struck the crossbar and bounced on the line before heading back into MacGillivray’s arms. The Huddersfield striker was certain it had just snuck over the line, with replays suggesting it may have crept over, but with no goalline technology, the officials deemed it hadn’t done so.

Fletcher would then see a low shot strike the base of the post with MacGillivray beaten, but a decent array of chances meant the visitors could’ve been much further ahead.

The second half began with another chance for the visitors, as Taylor’s shot deflected wide off of Curtis Nelson.

But having failed to grab the second goal, Huddersfield duly contrived to concede an equaliser. Former Huddersfield man Wiles played it forward for Collins, who was able to cut inside two Huddersfield defenders before curling an excellent strike into the bottom corner.

Both sides then felt they had very strong cases for a penalty and were united with irritation at the officials their shouts were declined.

First, Huddersfield felt that Charlie Goode had handled a cross by Derensili Sanches Fernandes, with players and fans adamant the shout should’ve been given in their favour.

A few moments later, Collins went down under a challenge in the box, but the referee instead interpreted Collins’ actions as simulation and duly booked the Dons’ scorer for diving.

MacGillivray kept out a strike from Fernandes before the Dons then came close themselves. Wintle would see an effort blocked on the line by a covering defender, before Wiles received the ball at the end of a flowing Dons break only to fire it just wide.

Home sub Callum Paterson would head two efforts wide, but ultimately, the game would duly peter out, and with that, the two sides duly settled for a share of the points.

MK Dons: MacGillivray – Ekpiteta, Nelson, Goode – Jones (Barnett 70), Wiles, Barlaser, Wintle, Bramall – Collins (Crowley 84), Nombe (Paterson 70)

Subs not used: Stacey, Mendez-Laing, Matete, Sanders

Goal: Collins (54)

Booked: Collins

Huddersfield: Young – Baler, Wallace, Bowat – Bronkhorst, Ledson, Harness, Smith-Sway – Sanches Fernandes (Sebine 84) – Taylor (Radulovic 65), Fletcher (Kasumu 75)

Subs not used: Tzanev, Low, Gooch, Collins

Goal: Taylor (9)

Booked: Radulovic, Kasumu