Brett Pitman’s 10th minute goal has given Town a 1-0 lead at half-time away against the MK Dons.
Mick McCarthy named an unchanged starting XI, while Ryan Fraser returned to the bench having come back to the club yesterday after undergoing his rehab after his knee injury with parent club AFC Bournemouth.
The MK Dons, who the Blues were facing in the league for the first time, included ex-Town man Dean Bowditch from the start, while former keeper Cody Cropper was on the bench.
There was a late change of referee with Gavin Ward, who took charge of last month's 2-2 draw with Wolves, taking over from Andrew Madley, who switched to fourth official.
November’s Championship Player of the Month Daryl Murphy struck the game’s first shot in the third minute but scraped his edge-of-the-area effort past MK keeper David Martin’s left post.
A minute later on-loan Norwich winger Josh Murphy was sent away down the left and the ball was half-cleared to Nicky Maynard but the one-time Blues target was challenged by Cole Skuse before he could get in a shot.
Play remained in the Blues’ half and former Town striker Bowditch curled a shot not too far wide from just outside the box.
The Dons, whose fans peopled their now fully seated stadium somewhat sporadically, had seen most of the ball in the early stages but in the 10th minute the Blues went in front.
Jonathan Douglas’s deft pass found Luke Chambers wide on the right and the Town skipper curled a cross past Samir Carruthers to Pitman, who stooped to nod home his sixth goal of the season from six yards.
Town had a good chance to make it 2-0 in the 16th minute when Freddie Sears, again operating in his left-sided role, chased Jonas Knudsen’s ball over the top down the middle. The striker lobbed the advancing Martin but sent the ball wide of the keeper’s left post.
Douglas half-volleyed over on 20, then moments later the Irishman was booked for a foul on Carruthers on halfway.
Dons’ winger Murphy shot goalwards from distance, however, he failed to test Blues keeper Dean Gerken in the 27th minute with the home side having most of the ball but with Town having looked the more threatening team when breaking.
Two minutes later, Gerken tipped Carl Baker’s cross from the right over his crossbar, then from the resultant corner Town’s Murphy headed Carruthers’s effort out for another flag-kick, although the ball looked to have been going well wide in any case.
Town should have made it 2-0 in the 32nd minute when Murphy was sent away on goal to the right by a Tommy Smith pass and beat the advancing Martin to the ball but sent it wide and off the stanchion.
Bowditch shot well over from 25 yards on 38 with the home side, then two minutes later Kyle McFadzean headed over from a corner taken by the one-time Blues academy player.
Neither side created another serious opportunity before the break, Town were unable to make anything of Murphy being sent away down the left, before referee Gavin Ward blew his whistle.
Having claimed the lead via Pitman’s well-worked goal, in much the same way as was the case at Charlton a fortnight ago, the Blues didn’t have to take the game to the home side, who were unable to significantly test the Town defence and keeper despite having a lot of the ball.
Town had continued to look a threat on the break and on another day might well have found themselves 3-0 up at the break. A second goal in the second half ought to be enough to seal a third away win on the trot.
MK Dons: Martin, Spence, McFadzean, Kay, Lewington (c), Potter, Carruthers, Baker, Bowditch, Murphy, Maynard. Subs: Cropper, Hodson, Poyet, Reeves, Powell, Hall, Gallagher.
Town: Gerken, Chambers, Smith, Berra, Knudsen, Skuse, Douglas, Maitland-Niles, Sears, Pitman, Murphy. Subs: Bialkowski, Malarczyk, Parr, Coke, Tabb, Fraser, McGoldrick. Gavin Ward (Surrey).