MK Dons see unbeaten run ended after home loss to Barnet

MK Dons’ unbeaten run was ended as they lost 3-1 at home to Barnet, with Paul Warne’s side beaten for the first time since New Year’s Day.

Jon Mellish had put the hosts in front after an error by Barnet keeper Cieran Slicker, but goals by Danny Collinge, Kabongo Tshimanga and Idris Kanu as the Bees pulled off the comeback.

A missed penalty by Rushian Hepburn-Murphy and injuries to both Connor Lemonheigh-Evans and Jack Sanders added to a painful afternoon for Paul Warne’s side as they endured a first defeat in 15 League Two outings. They remain second but see their gap to the play-off places cut to 4 points.

Having arrived on the back of four wins in a row, MK Dons were chasing further success as they welcomed a Barnet side that had failed to win any of their previous 3 outings.

To that end, the Dons got the perfect start when they were gifted a seventh minute opener. It seemed as though the danger had passed when Barnet keeper Slicker claimed Aaron Nemane’s looping cross, only for the Scottish keeper to drop the ball straight to Mellish and the Dons wing-back duly tapped home.

A win would’ve seen the Dons move up to top stop for at least 2 hours, with leaders Bromley not in action until later in the afternoon, but the hosts were struggling to create chances for a second, with their best opportunity seeing Ben Wiles’ effort deflected into Slicker’s arms.

The Dons would lose Lemonheigh-Evans after an injury, and that was nearly followed up by the Dons losing their advantage. Sanders’ attempt to cut out a long ball inadvertently released Barnet’s Glover, but the midfielder fired straight at Dons keeper Craig MacGillivray.

Barnet would come close again as MacGillivray kept out Adam Senior at a corner a few moments later, but the visitors were beginning to take the initiative and they would equalise in the final minute of first half stoppage time.

Mark Shelton fired in a corner and the ball found Collinge, who was able to guide a header into the back of the net. It saw the Bees captain and MK Dons academy graduate score against the club where he had began his career but left without making a first team appearance.

Another former Dons man would then make it 2-1 just after half-time. The Dons lost possession and Glover set up ex-MK striker Tshimanga, whose shot found the bottom corner via a possible deflection off Marvin Ekpiteta.

Before the Dons could make changes, they found themselves 3-1 down. Tshimanga’s cross was only partially cleared by Luke Offord, with the ball falling straight for Kanu to guide home a composed first-time strike.

A few moments later, MK Dons were presented a chance to narrow the gap. Hepburn-Murphy’s cross caused a scramble in the box and in the middle of the territorial dispute, sub Aaron Collins was brought down by Barnet’s Nnamdi Ofoborh. However, Slicker kept out Hepburn-Murphy’s spot-kick.

A few more chances fell the Dons’ way, as Slicker made a good save to stop Collins’ effort from the edge of the box. From the follow-up corner, Sanders had a header blocked on the line before Ekpiteta’s rebound went over the bar.

But the Dons’ momentum would be checked when Sanders was taken off with a shoulder injury after colliding with Tshimanga.

While the hosts recalibrated after that, Barnet missed chances for number four. Collinge and Glover missed the target with efforts from inside the box, before a power-drive by Kanu after a corner hadn’t been fully cleared just whistled wide.

But despite a stop-start second half leading to ten minutes of added time, MK Dons couldn’t salvage the situation, slipping to both just their second defeat of 2026 and a first home loss since September, with Warne’s side now given the task of going again when they travel to promotion rivals Salford next weekend.

MK Dons: MacGillivray – Offord, Ekpiteta (Hogan 70), Sanders (Tomlinson 74) – Nemane (Jones 70), Lemonheigh-Evans (Collins 36), Kelly, Mellish – Wiles, Hepburn-Murphy, Gilbey

Subs not used: Trueman, Crowley, Leko

Goal: Mellish (7)

Barnet: Slicker – Senior, Tavares, Collinge, Crichlow-Noble (Kizzi 87) – Shelton, Ofoborh – Kanu, Stead, Glover – Tshimanga (Hawkins 90)

Subs not used: Evans, Jaiyesimi, Howland, Hartigan, Chinedu

Booked: Crichlow-Noble

Goal: Collinge (45+5), Tshimanga (48), Kanu (57)