Stockport County 0 Milton Keynes Dons 1

Last updated : 03 February 2009 By Footymad Previewer
MK Dons cemented second place in League One as top scorer Aaron
Wilbraham grabbed the only goal in a 1-0 win at Edgeley Park.

The former County striker bagged a hat-trick in Saturday's 5-3 win at Cheltenham and followed that up with a superbly-taken strike in the 36th minute.

That sent the Dons four points clear of Scunthorpe while County, forced to sell Anthony Pilkington and Jim McNulty in the transfer window, remain five points off the play-offs.

The two sides made one change apiece, with left-back Michael Rose replacing Robbie Threlfall for County while Flavien Belson came in for Sam Baldock in the visitors' midfield.

The game got off to a slow start and the first effort on goal did not come until the tenth minute, when County winger Oli Johnson fired over after cutting inside.

The Dons gradually gained control with Jude Stirling heading over from a Jemal Johnson corner while Wilbraham saw a shot deflected over.

The pace of Jemal Johnson and Jason Puncheon was beginning to cause County problems and Puncheon was released by Belson's searching ball in the 22nd minute, only to fire straight at new Wales call-up Owain fon Williams from a wide angle.

The visitors then claimed a deserved lead as Puncheon released Wilbraham, who turned Johnny Mullins superbly before converting with aplomb from 16 yards.

Fon Williams then had to produce a full-stretch save to turn wide Belson's 25-yard strike and the County keeper denied Belson again from the corner.

Mullins thought he had levelled within three minutes of the restart when he headed home from a Tommy Rowe corner but the goal was disallowed for a foul on Dons keeper Willy Gueret.

County brought on new loan signing Chris O'Grady at half-time to partner Matty McNeil up front, and Leon McSweeney floated a free-kick just over after a foul on McNeil.

Rowe hit a tame effort straight at Gueret as County began to pile the pressure on the visitors' goal, but the Dons replied with Puncheon and Alan Navarro testing fon Williams.

Oli Johnson put two dangerous balls into the box late on but each time the Dons scrambled the ball clear to hold on to their narrow lead.