Town dropped points and conceded in League One for the first time this season as they drew 1-1 away against the MK Dons having ended the game with 10 men after sub Flynn Downes was forced off with an injury. Jon Nolan gave Town the lead in the seventh minute, Daniel Harvie scored a deserved leveller for the home side five minutes after the break and the Blues, who drop to third, held on for a point.

Town boss Paul Lambert named the same team which beat Rochdale 2-0 at Portman Road last weekend, while Kayden Jackson and Alan Judge returned to the 18 after injury.

Tomas Holy continued in goal behind a back four of - from the right - skipper Luke Chambers, Toto Nsiala, James Wilson and Stephen Ward.

In midfield Andre Dozzell was joined by Nolan and Teddy Bishop, while Oli Hawkins was the central striker with Gwion Edwards to his right and Freddie Sears to his left.

Jackson, who had been sidelined with a groin injury since pre-season, was on the bench for the first time this season where he was joined by Judge, who missed the last two matches due to a hamstring problem.

Luke Woolfenden, who has also been out with a groin injury, was initially named among the subs in error, and was at the ground, before the club issued a correction and included Emyr Huws instead.

MK Dons boss Russell Martin made five changes to the team which lost 2-0 at Crewe last week with veteran centre-half Richard Keogh, who the Blues were keen on in the summer, and Scott Fraser making their full debuts for the club.

George Williams returned from injury to make his first appearance of the season, while David Kasumu and Harvie also came into the XI.

The first chance of the game, played on a very wet pitch but with the rain having stopped, fell to the home side in the sixth minute, a loose ball dropping to Keogh in the area following a corner but the Irish international scuffed to Holy.

Within a minute, the Blues were in front. After Hawkins picked up a loose pass from Keogh on the right, Edwards crossed and Sears sent it back in from the left, past Bishop as he and a defender tussled.

Edwards, who had made his way to the edge of the six-yard box, sought to chest it down and it fell to Nolan, who hit into the ground and past home keeper Lee Nicholls for his third goal of the season, already one more than he scored in 2019/20.

Town were close to making it 2-0 in the 18th minute when Wilson intercepted a pass on halfway and brought it forward before playing it Sears to his left. The former West Ham man cut in and hit a curling shot which flew just past Nicholls’s left post.

The Blues were forced into a change in the 22nd minute when Ward, who had undergone treatment for an achilles problem after the Town goal, made his way off with Myles Kenlock taking over and making his first league appearance of the season.

The home side were seeing most of the ball but without looking threatening, while the Blues appeared potentially more dangerous every time they broke, usually through Sears.

On 26 Dozzell played a looping ball over the top for Hawkins, who took it down but shot deep into the empty stand behind the goal.

However, it was the Dons who were seeing virtually all of the ball but with the Town backline resolute and Holy not forced into a save.

There was a big scare for the Blues in the 33rd minute when Kenlock’s loose pass back to Holy from the right played Carlton Morris in on goal. However, as the keeper advanced, Chambers slid in superbly to send the ball behind. From the corner, Keogh’s looping header was claimed by Holy.

In the 36th minute Harvie was probably lucky to see only a yellow card after kicking out at Chambers with the ball long gone.

Play continued and home skipper Lewington prevented Nsiala from putting it out of play for the Blues captain to receive treatment before referee David Rock stopped play, liaised with his fourth official, cautioned Harvie and awarded Town a belated free-kick.

That stoppage and a subsequent interruption for a Dons injury briefly knocked the home side off their stride and the Blues began to see more of the ball, albeit in their own half of the field.

In five minutes of injury time, Nsiala blocked from Joe Mason on the edge of the box with the Dons again dominating possession.

Just before the whistle, the former Wolves, Cardiff and Plymouth man should have levelled. Having been played in behind the Town backline on the left of the box the forward hit a low shot which the advancing Holy saved with his feet, much to the frustration of home manager Martin on the touchline.

That was the final chance of a half in which the Dons had had the lion’s share of the possession but had been unable to create a really serious chance until Mason’s effort just before the end.

Having got their noses in front early on through Nolan, as they did in the corresponding fixture last season, Town seemed not unhappy allowing the Dons the ball and attempting to break on them, which might well have led to a second goal through Sears.

The second half began in a similar manner to the end of the first period with the home side seeing most of the ball.

On 50 Fraser claimed he had been fouled as he scraped a shot wide under pressure but referee Rock waved away the somewhat ambitious protests.

The Dons had been pressing and in the 55th minute they equalised. Chambers slipped as Lasse Sorensen crossed from the right and Harvie had time to curl a shot past the advancing Holy, the first goal the Blues have conceded in the league this season and the first the Czech keeper has let in in all competitions.

Town immediately swapped Sears and Bishop for Judge and Downes, changes which were being prepared prior to the goal.

In the 58th minute Edwards broke away down the right, cleverly beat his man with a flick then sent in a cross which Hawkins was unable to get enough on and Williams cleared.

Having made their switches of personnel, the Blues started to see more of the ball than earlier in the half. On 62 Edwards robbed a defender of the ball in his own area but referee Rock harshly awarded a free-kick.

Two minutes later, Downes was booked for a foul on Morris and underwent treatment for a knock picked up in the incident.

The substitute was clearly in trouble due to the injury, hobbling around during the next passage of play before requiring the attention physio Matt Byard again and eventually making his way off. With Town having already made all their subs, they were forced to continue with 10 men.

In the 70th minute, Holy failed to deal with a cross from the right and the ball was played back in from the left and turned goalwards by Morris, fortunately straight at the Town keeper. Either side of him and it would have been 2-1 to the home team.

Two minutes later, the Czech keeper was unable to hold on to a Fraser shot but came off his line quickly to block Callum Brittain’s rebound with his chest.

The 10-man Blues were finding it tough to get out of their own half but on 77 Edwards played a ball forward down the left for Hawkins, who did well to get away from two men but was pulled back by Kasumu, who was booked.

A minute later, Edwards outpaced Williams down the Town left but failed to find Judge with his low cross towards the far post. In the 79th minute the Dons replaced Sorensen for Regan Poole, then five minutes later Sam Nombe took over from Morris.

With two minutes remaining Holy, not having his best day for the Blues, seemed to leave a Williams cross from the right but it struck Harvie on his midriff and bounced behind.

Soon after the former Gills man and Kenlock appeared to miscommunicate as a ball was played into the area from deep but the full-back was able to clear.

The Blues backline remained resilient during five minutes of injury time to see out the draw.

Town will ultimately be happy to have gained a point against an MK Dons side better than their disappointing start to the season had suggested and having played the last 22 minutes with 10 men following Downes’s injury.

The Dons, who perhaps surprisingly drop to the bottom of the table, will feel that having deservedly got on terms - they had started the second half much the better team - and given the extra man, the game was there for the taking.

The Blues were only briefly in control following the substitutions but Downes’s swift exit handed the impetus back to the home side.

In addition to the first dropped points of the season and a disappointing overall display, Town leave Stadium MK with Downes and Ward, one of the early season’s best performers both having suffered knocks.

Town are down to third in the table behind new leaders Lincoln and Hull City, now the only two sides in the division with 100 per cent records.

MK Dons: Nicholls, Williams, Lewington (c), Keogh, Kasumu, Morris (Nombe 84), Fraser, Sorensen (Poole 79), Mason, Harvie, Brittain. Unused: Walker, Cargill, O’Hora, Houghton, Sorinola.

Town: Holy, Chambers (c), Nsiala, Wilson, Ward (Kenlock 22), Dozzell, Nolan, Bishop (Downes 55), Edwards, Sears (Judge 55), Hawkins. Unused: Cornell, Huws, Lankester, Jackson. Referee: David Rock (Hertfordshire).

Photo: PagePix

Trac70 added 17:39 - Oct 3 Let's hope Wards injury isn't serious as Kenlock is poor. We desperately need a goal scoring striker,Hawkins isn't going to score us 10+goals. Not convinced with Freddie or Judge. I think we've got problems in a few areas.
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Suffolk_n_Proud added 17:43 - Oct 3 Blue army 81 You, me and all town fans have 1 thing in common, we all want town to be the best and win every game. It's like political parties , just diffent ways of going about it and we don't know if it will work until it happens or goes horribly wrong
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shouldistayorcounago added 17:43 - Oct 3 Agree that the game changed once Ward went off. Seemed to be lacking in fluidity in midfield today, a lot of bright ideas but not much understanding or end product a lot of the time. Felt Kenlock was very poor and does worry me if he has an extended stay in the team. Having said that, they dug in well to earn the point after going down to 10 men, Toto was solid enough, which is a plus. I don't think it was a disaster today by any stretch but one to forget. Onwards and upwards, COYB

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Buryblue78 added 17:44 - Oct 3 ArniM Downes got injured making a perfectly good tackle It was fair and never a booking He stretched and won the ball cleanly but must have over stretched or twisted awkwardly It was nothing like last week when he left his brain in the changing room Certainly not hot headed like before to be fair to him
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chepstowblue added 17:46 - Oct 3 The kind of performance that should give a sharp reminder to everybody that making the top six will be incredibly difficult. We wont always beat 'what's in front of us', and on several occasions like today...we'll come away with more than we deserve. I hate the postponement of games for international call ups, but after today I'm pleased we're sitting next week out. Shoddy stuff.

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midlandblue54 added 17:50 - Oct 3 We will win nothing with serial loser Lambert in charge !
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speccybaz added 17:50 - Oct 3 Very disappointing. Don't really understand why so many people seem surprised. We were an average League One side last year and apart from Ward not much has changed. Bishop and Dozzell are too inconsistent and pretty lightweight. MK Dons played the better football and were stronger and a yard quicker. Maybe just an off day for us, or a reality check. Time will tell!
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DebsyAngel added 17:51 - Oct 3 Listened on Radio Suffolk and it sounded like a terrible match. Hope Ward isn't out for long, will really miss him - been impressed with him. Glad we managed to draw, but cannot understand why Lambert made all 3 substitutions like that, should always hang onto one just in case.
4

TimmyH added 17:52 - Oct 3 Well that sounded poor and sounded like the game somehow changed after Ward went off and as others have said rather fortunate to stay with our unbeaten record intact. If we are to get out of this league it will all be about consistency of performances. Hopefully this will be just a blip but must do better against sides like MK and particularly sides towards the top (when we play them).

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therein61 added 17:53 - Oct 3 If Ward is side lined for a while(hope not) then have him on the touchline talking and cajoling as he does on the pitch it was apparent after he went off that some of the youngsters were not being given the encouragement and get up and at em approach that he instils and they seemed at times devoid of ideas(that's where a proper leader comes in!)
4

cornishblu added 17:54 - Oct 3 Baffled at the take the point and move on brigade ....MK Dons are bottom of the league ....our aspirations should be higher We need a vocal leader at the back ...highlighted when ward got replaced Our forwards need to start scoring Reality check ...we've played four teams who will be in the bottom half of the league at the end of the season ....in five months if we were fighting for a play off place and drew against the bottom club this board would be full of angst .....let's not be happy with mediocrity whoever it's against and whenever it happens ....we need to get promoted COYB

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Lathers added 17:54 - Oct 3 Kenlock needs to be moved on. I'm sure Woolf could play there or even McGuiness if Ward is out for a while. We never looked the same after Ward went off. We got away with one today. I thought Bishop had another anonymous game and Edwards is only really good enough to come off the bench. Judge is past it. Make Downes train with the U16s. He is an angry young man who is now a liability. Would he have come off last season? 2 fingers up at Lambert.

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Northstandveteran added 17:55 - Oct 3 " We were brilliant today, the players have been brilliant in training, the whole squad has been brilliant. The physios have been brilliant, the owner has been brilliant, the fans have been brilliant. The bent over soggy cardboard cut outs have been brilliant, my next door neighbours cat has been brilliant...."
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planetblue_2011 added 18:03 - Oct 3 Well what can I say how on earth did we get a point from that game, 2nd half was dreadful didn't help playing with 20 men for over 20 mins. The 2 annoying things for me were Downes going off injured after his stupid tackle & leaving a mountain to climb with 10 men & why Lambert put the last 2 subs on so early it's ridiculous he didn't have to make 2 early changes in 2nd half like he did. You can see who the class player is in the town team it's Ward because when he went off we just looked like the team from last season. I am actually happy with a point because if it was a better team finishing wise we would be drowning our sorrows. Have to hand it to MK they did play well & put us under loads of pressure. We need to step up next game. Well played again Wilson & Nsiala at the back👍

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planetblue_2011 added 18:04 - Oct 3 10 men haha
0

jas0999 added 18:05 - Oct 3 Terrible performance. Very poor result. Yet, after such a dismal showing, we still took a point, albeit completely undeserved.
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GatesPerm added 18:05 - Oct 3 Played four, won three, drawn one, scored seven and conceded one. Are we good enough to be promoted, I honestly do not know but at least hold off on the moaning until when or if we lose a few games and a run of bad performances.
3

ArnieM added 18:13 - Oct 3 Looking at the post match report on eadt , I'm not sure why find on here are pointing the finger at our defence !? Seems the defence played very well ( with the exception of the hapless Kenlock). Ps: Not sure why we persist with Judge anywhere near the first team. He really I sad he all that is he ! Perhaps time to blood some of these new recruits?
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ArnieM added 18:17 - Oct 3 BuryBlue 78: thanks for that as I've not seen the game today . Did Downes actually get booked for the tackle today ? Our injuries are an absolute joke at this Club .....
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therein61 added 18:20 - Oct 3 Whilst respecting the views of people slating it's a point move on(views) and then stating it was MK Dons bottom of the league we should have won i would suggest that for the majority of last season this is a game we would have lost, so be positive and move on to Gillingham.
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forevertown added 18:25 - Oct 3 Having watched the game I cant see why everyone is against downes? Had he not gone in for the tackle (which wasnt a booking) and they went on to score everyone would be saying he doesnt care and should of put his foot in. For me the 5 mins he was on the pitch we actually looked like competing in the middle. Unfortunate bishop wasnt anywhere to be seen and we where out worked/muscled l in the middle of the pitch. Kenlock isn't up to being a first team player here unfortunately

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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 18:39 - Oct 3 Disappointing today, obviously. I think we thought we had done the job at 1-0, and with Downes' injury, we couldn't come back. Don't think Dons are a relegation side, however. Wilson & Toto were very good, but the midfield was - empty, and we had little goal threat. Still, a point away is not a disaster. COYB!
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PositivelyPortman added 18:43 - Oct 3 Phil, great review of the match as we've all come to expect from you. One complaint though, it seems like every week, when you mention Sears, you always say ‘former West Ham player'. It's not like he's only just joined us, it seems like he's been at Town since time began. Another good game for Toto.
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DerryfromBury added 18:47 - Oct 3 Regardless of the injuries and going down to 10 for most of the 2nd half, that was a poor performance. Did Bishop touch the ball, okay twice but not what'd you'd expect for someone who's been showing some of the promised form of his early days.
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LWNR2013 added 18:48 - Oct 3 Never mind, it's not the end of the world. Still unbeaten.
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