MK Dons slip to defeat at home to Fleetwood Town

MK Dons slipped back to losing ways after a 4-2 home loss against Fleetwood Town.

The Dons had taken the lead through Danilo Orsi’s first half opener but saw the lead disappear when Matty Virtue equalised.

Things then totally got away from the hosts, as goals by James Bolton, Louis Marsh and Owen Devonport saw Fleetwood take control of the contest.

Scott Hogan’s fine late goal turned out to just be a consolation for the Dons, who have won only four games in 2025. With seven games to go, they sit 16 points off the play-offs and 13 clear of the relegation zone.

After picking up four points from trips to Cheltenham and Carlisle, the Dons’ first home outing in three weeks saw Ben Gladwin’s side welcome another side in midtable in League Two in the form of Fleetwood, who the Dons had lost to in the reverse fixture in late January.

Things nearly went in MK Dons’ favour early on. In the second minute, Alex Gilbey’s cross fell for Dan Crowley, who saw a firm drive hit the crossbar and a rebound cleared off the line.

Shaun Rooney had an angled drive kept out by Connal Trueman in the visitor’s first attempt on goal, before a looping Gilbey header was kept out by Jay Lynch.

Fleetwood had a few half-chances before the game’s momentum was checked when Laurence Maguire had to be checked after taking a hard-hit cross to the face.

A few moments after that, MK Dons ended up taking advantage of an opportunity presented their way by scoring the opening goal. Liam Kelly and Gilbey lead a counter-attack for the hosts that fed Crowley, whose cross caused confusion in the Fleetwood box. The visitors missed multiple chances to clear their lines, but the ball deflected the way of Orsi, who lashed home the game’s opening goal.

Fleetwood’s Virtue had a deflected shot denied by Trueman, before MK Dons saw Orsi get the ball in the back of the net only for play to be called back for an offside against Joe Tomlinson in the build-up.

MK Dons had seemed to have kept the visitors at arms length, but in the final minutes of the first half, Fleetwood got on level terms. It had looked as though Trueman was set to intercept Shaun Rooney’s cross, but Virtue was able to zip in ahead of the Dons’ keeper and poke the ball beyond him to equalise.

Less than five minutes after the break, Fleetwood then completed their comeback and took the lead. From a short corner, an attempted clearance by Gilbey ended up skewing into the path of Bolton, who was in position to beat Trueman in a one-on-one.

Gilbey would see a long-range strike saved by Lynch seconds after the restart, before Marsh fired over from inside the six yard box after being found by Rooney’s cross on a counter.

But Marsh would soon be celebrating a goal when he put the visitors 3-1 up just before the hour. A quick free-kick by Phoenix Patterson released Marsh, who had plenty of space to head forward before beating Trueman.

Fleetwood continued to look dangerous, with Rooney having a shot blocked after rounding Trueman and another effort kept out by the Dons’ goalkeeper.

A fourth would come with just under 20 minutes to play, as Rooney again had space to attack down Fleetwood’s right hand side and his cross picked out Devonport to head past Trueman.

MK Dons would grab a stylish consolation goal in the final ten minutes, as a long ball forward by Maguire picked out Hogan to hit a superb first-time volley that Lynch could only watch sail beyond him into the back of the net.

But the Dons wouldn’t create many opportunities in search of a third despite seven minutes of the 90 and a further seven added minutes, as they slunk to yet another defeat in a season that continues to get away from them.

MK Dons: Trueman – Offord, Sanders, Maguire – Nemane (O’Reilly 60), Lemonheigh-Evans, Kelly (Hogan 60), Tomlinson – Crowley (Thompson-Sommers 70), Orsi (Leko 70), Gilbey

Subs not used: MacGillivray, Tripp, Waller

Goal: Orsi (27), Hogan (83)

Fleetwood: Lynch – Bennett, Bolton, Wiredu – Rooney (Hunt 79), Virtue, Neal (Potter 79), Helm, Patterson (Cover 86) – Devonport (Moore 86), Marsh (Broom 76)

Subs not used: Hewitson, Mayor

Goal: Virtue (45), Bolton (49), Marsh (59), Devonport (72)

Booked: Neal