MK Dons close gap to leaders Bromley after putting five past Gillingham

MK Dons closed the gap to League 2 leaders Bromley after a thumping 5-1 win over Gillingham in Kent.

At a ground where the Dons have had problems in the past, Paul Warne’s side found themselves 3-0 up after just over half an hour thanks to goals by Alex Gilbey, Gethin Jones and Marvin Ekpiteta.

Ben Wiles would make it 4-0 just after half-time and although the Gills would pull a goal back through Seb Palmer-Houlden, Liam Kelly grabbed a late fifth to wrap up a big win for the visitors.

A win in Kent means that the Dons remain second, but are now unbeaten in 12 League Two outings. Warne’s side are now 2 points off leaders Bromley, having played a game in hand on the division’s leaders, while they are 4 ahead of Notts County in 4th.

MK Dons would open the scoring after 15 minutes. The ball was worked up for Aaron Collins, who found his path to goal blocked by covering defenders, but he was able to work space to lay the ball off for Gilbey, who duly drilled a shot home for his first goal of 2026.

A second would come the Dons’ way in the 26th minute, as Jones picked up Wiles’ pass and placed a fine first-time strike into the bottom corner for his first MK Dons goal.

Wiles missed a chance to make it 3-0 when he had a drive kept out by Gillingham keeper Jake Turner, but the Dons would soon grab their third goal as Ekpiteta headed home Kelly’s free-kick for a 33rd minute goal.

MK Dons could’ve gone in at half-time 4-0 up, as a Gilbey drive from distance beat Turner but struck the crossbar.

But it was only brief respite for the Gills, as MK Dons would make it 4-0 in the opening six minutes of the second half. Turner couldn’t hold onto Collins’ shot from the edge of the box, and Wiles was on hand to convert the rebound.

Wiles wasn’t far away from grabbing his second and MK’s fifth just after that, with the midfielder seeing his strike bounce off the post.

Gillingham would have a goal disallowed for offside before they grabbed a 76th minute consolation goal, as Palmer-Houlden turned in the rebound after Sam Vokes’ initial header was blocked on the line.

But MK Dons would re-established a four goal lead in the final four minutes, in the process grabbing their ninth goal in two games. Kelly would roll the ball home from substitute Connor Lemonheigh-Evans’ pass, as the visitors wrapped up a comprehensive win.

Warne’s side will now prepare for a big match at the weekend, as they visit 5th place Swindon Town in a match against one of the teams also in the mix for automatic promotion.