Bowditch late show is comfort to Barker
MANAGERLESS MK Dons dropped into the League One relegation zone for the first time this season despite Dean Bowditch’s last-minute leveller, but caretaker boss Richie Barker felt his side could have perhaps gone on to win it.
In what was a pretty drab encounter, Scott Laird’s second goal of the season midway through the first half looked set to hand Jon Whitney’s Saddlers all three points.
But Bowditch’s seventh goal of the season inside the final minute ensured the spoils were shared.
“We stuck to our defensive game plan very well early on and I don’t think our goalkeeper had to make a save in the opening 20 minutes,” said Barker.
“But attackingwise we didn’t really threaten them until the second half.
“You have to win games and pick up points in different ways, particularly when you are at the bottom of the table. But we continued to play in the way we want to. At the end we could sense they were getting rattled and we capitalised on that.
“When ever you’re 1-0 down there is always a chance and we perhaps could have nicked it at the end as well.”
Both sides started tentatively but it was the hosts who were the first to go close after 12 minutes when Ben Reeves cleverly created space for himself in the Walsall box before firing just wide.
It was the visitors who took the lead when Josh Ginnelly’s cross from the right found Laird unmarked inside the six-yard box and the 28-year-old’s powerful downward header flew past Dons keeper David Martin for his second goal of the season.
The Dons came out from the half-time break with purpose and struck a post through Bowditch on 52 minutes before Saddlers forward Erhun Oztumer’s strike flew just wide on the hour.
But Bowditch’s last-minute left-footed strike from the edge of the box flew past Walsall keeper Etheridge to rescue a point for MK.
Walsall boss Jon Whitney said: “I’m not disappointed, just frustrated.
“We’re two teams who play the game the right way and have some very good young technical players.
“Sometimes it’s difficult for young players at MK because the atmosphere at the moment is a bit negative.
“We could have won it and of course I’m frustrated.
“But to come to MK, who were probably favourites at the start of the season, and draw, we have to be happy.”