MK Dons drop points in promotion chase after draw against Barrow

MK Dons dropped more points in their promotion pursuit after a 0-0 draw at home to Barrow.

Despite having a majority of possession and opportunities, MK Dons couldn’t break the Cumbrian club down as they slid to a third consecutive game without victory.

On a weekend that saw only one of League Two’s top six win, the result means that the Dons remain second and five points behind leaders Bromley. Paul Warne’s side are just two clear of Cambridge, Notts County and Salford sides who are all level on points.

Having suffered back-to-back defeats against Barnet and Salford in their last pair of outings, MK Dons looked to bounce back with a return to winning ways. Warne’s side were welcoming Barrow, who arrived second bottom but on a high after pulling off a shock win over leaders Bromley last time out.

MK Dons had begun brightly enough in the early phase, with Aaron Collins seeing a decent cross narrowly fail to find Callum Paterson on the Scot’s return from a lengthy injury absence before Collins saw an early strike kept out by Wyll Stanway after getting one-on-one with the Bluebirds keeper.

Much of the first half would be a tight affair, with MK Dons having most of the possession without being able to prize open gaps in the Barrow defence to find a way through.

A big chance would fall the Dons’ way just after the half hour mark, however, as Paterson got a shot on that beat Stanway only to be blocked on the line by covering Barrow defender Angus MacDonald.

The hosts would then come close again after Ben Wiles saw a decent curling strike clip the post, with Jon Mellish’s rebound blocked, albeit from an offside position in the case of Mellish.

Having ridden out the first half onslaught, Barrow nearly caused MK Dons bother early in the second half, with the hosts having to clear two consecutive scrambles inside their own penalty area from set pieces before sub Scott Smith curled a strike wide of the mark.

A lengthy stoppage then occurred after a collision between Paterson and Stanway, with the Dons boss later confirming Paterson suffered a broken nose as a result of the incident. The former Sheffield Wednesday striker would continue after a near 6 minute period of treatment, though he would later be substituted.

Stanway would make a save to deny Jack Sanders at a corner, before substitute Nathaniel Mendez-Laing would skew a shot wide moments after coming on.

Perhaps the single greatest chance MK Dons created came right at the end of proceedings, as a cross picked out Joe Tomlinson. The Dons sub’s header was goalbound, only for a brilliant save by Stanway to tip the header over the top.

Despite the game ultimately reaching 12 minutes of stoppage time, there would be no way through for the Dons as they wound up drawing 0-0 and dropping points in their promotion push.

Warne’s side will now face a quick turnaround to go again, as they make a difficult-looking trip to an in-form Oldham Athletic side.

MK Dons: MacGillivray – Sanders, Nelson, Ekpiteta (Tomlinson 78) – Jones, Wiles (Hepburn-Murphy 90), Kelly (Crowley 78), Gilbey, Mellish (Nemane 45) – Collins, Paterson (Mendez-Laing 78)

Subs not used: Trueman, Hogan

Booked: Sanders, Crowley

Barrow: Stanway – Jackson, MacDonald, Canavan, Shipley – Mahoney (McCann 60), Williams, Harper, Earing (Smith 7) – Gordon (Malcolm 82), Rose (Walker 82)

Subs not used: Winterbottom, Whitfield

Booked: Harper, Jackson, Shipley