MK Dons end winless run with comeback victory over Morecambe

MK Dons picked up a first win in eight matches as they came from behind to beat struggling Morecambe 2-1.

Morecambe had struck first when Lee Angol won and then scored a penalty, but the hosts equalised through Luke Offord five minutes later.

Danilo Orsi’s winner just after the hour completed a comeback in the Dons’ favour, who were able to keep the visitors at bay to record just a third victory of 2025.

Victory was the Dons’ first since beating Harrogate in late January and their first under the interim charge of Ben Gladwin, who took charge of a home game for the first time after replacing Scott Lindsey as Dons boss.

Gladwin had been given the caretaker role at Stadium MK after Lindsey’s exit last week, with the former Dons midfielder hoping for better things after a midweek defeat away at Accrington Stanley.

A reshuffled Dons side had the game’s first major opportunity, which came when a through-pass released Alex Gilbey, who was denied by Morecambe keeper Harry Burgoyne. This was the Dons’ first shot on target in three games, having failed to have a shot on target in either of their last two outings.

Fresh off the back of beating promotion chasing AFC Wimbledon in midweek, Morecambe had a decent early opportunity when the ball was worked for Callum Cooke. The midfielder’s shot was heading for the bottom corner, only to be repelled by Connal Trueman.

For most of the first half, MK Dons looked the more dangerous of the two sides. Nico Lawrence headed over from a set-piece, before Orsi hit a strike into the side-netting from Offord’s cut-back and the striker then had a first time strike kept out by Burgoyne.

But although MK Dons had possession and pressure, the hosts gifted their guests a chance to take the lead in the final ten minutes of the first half. Cooke’s through-pass released Angol, who drew out Trueman and was duly fouled by the MK Dons goalkeeper, with the Dons conceding a penalty for the fourth time in seven games.

Having scored the midweek winner against AFC, Angol duly stepped up and did the honours to put Morecambe in front.

But MK Dons trailed for all of five minutes. A foul on Aaron Nemane saw the Dons given a free-kick, and Dan Crowley’s delivery picked out Offord to head home the equaliser.

The opening phase of the second half would be a much tighter and scrappier affair, with the best chances seeing MK Dons narrowly survive a scramble from a Morecambe corner before Joe White had a half-chance hit the side-netting.

Just after the hour mark, MK Dons found themselves in front for the first time in the afternoon. Morecambe failed to clear their lines and Gilbey saw a strike saved by Burgoyne. The loose ball duly fell for Orsi, who fired into the back of the net to make it 2-1.

A couple of half-chances fell MK Dons’ way in their pursuit of a third, but Morecambe remained a threat and nearly got an equaliser. A perfectly hit cross by the away side’s wing-back Adam Lewis seemed to be on a plate for substitute Ben Tollitt, only for Laurence Maguire to just sneak in and poke the ball off his toes.

Home sub Jay Williams saw a shot deflected over and fellow replacement Tommi O’Reilly saw an effort just bounce off target.

But the nerves remained among the home crowd with the leading margin still only being one goal, and in the final stages, Morecambe had some moments. The visitors had the ball in the back of the net through Marcus Dackers, only for an offside against Jordan Slew in the build-up to be flagged, while Slew later headed over when well placed.

MK Dons would however get the job done, picking up victory at Stadium MK to ease potential relegation fears, with the side from Stadium MK now 13 points clear of the relegation zone with 11 games remaining.

MK Dons: Trueman – Offord, Lawrence, Maguire (Waller 77) – Nemane, Lemonheigh-Evans (Williams 71), Crowley (Hogan 83), Tomlinson – J. White (O’Reilly 77), Orsi (Kelly 83), Gilbey

Subs not used: MacGillivray, Patterson

Goal: Offord (42), Orsi (64)

Booked: Trueman, Lemonheigh-Evans, Lawrence

Morecambe: Burgoyne – Taylor (Williams 71), Songo’o, Stott – Millen, T. White, Cooke, Lewis – Edwards (Slew 71) – Garner (Dackers 82), Angol (Tollitt 71)

Subs not used: Hope, Dalls, Snowball

Goal: Angol (pen 37)

Booked: Taylor