MK WILL BE AOK
Hero Lee: Scaring the Clarets shows we are ready for promotion
AET: Burnley win 4- 3 on penalties
LEE NICHOLLS has called on MK Dons to use their FA Cup heartache as a springboard to league success.
Russel l Martin’s si de came within seconds of a shock win and their hero goalkeeper wants them to start reproducing the kind of form that gave Burnley a scare.
Cameron Jerome’s expertlyheaded ninth goal since arriving in October was cancelled out by Matej Vydra’s stoppagetime leveller before the C l a r e t s s q u e e z e d through on pens. Nichol l s , who made a string of stunning s a v e s , i s d e t e r - m i n e d to help the League One s i d e c l o s e t h e e i g h t - point gap to the play- off places.
T h e
Dons have lost just one of their last five league games and Nicholls ( below) said: “We gave absolutely everything and it’s heartbreaking to lose. It hurts a lot.
“We’ve come to the home of an established Premier League team, moved the ball around really well, and caused them problems. Now we have to build on this.”
In a breathless tie, Dons defender Richard Keogh had a red card for handball overturned by VAR before boss Martin was sent to the stands for protesting after Vyrda’s scrambled equaliser came after the indicated three minutes of injury- time.
Nicholls, who saved from Vydra in the shoot- out, added: “We think their goal came after the three minutes at the end but that’s football. We pulled ourselves together for extra- time and it ’s such a shame to lose on penalties.”
Debutant keeper Will Norris saved two shoot- out pens to seal Burnley’s place in the fourth round for a fifth time in six seasons.
Sean Dyche still got it in the neck from fans as the Burnley manager copped f lak for a strong starting line- up.
Social media was awash with the views of supporters worried that, j ust 72 hours before the Premier League visit of Manchester United, Dyche had named too many first- team regulars.
But it i s just one defeat in seven for the Clarets, and Dyche said: “Trying to balance everything and win a game was a bit tricky, especially against such a good MK Dons team.
“You l ook at our s i d e a nd s ay we should have won that game – and we did in the
end.”
MOTM LEE NICHOLLS ( MK DONS)