Micciche: We need all of MK behind us
MK DONS slipped four points adrift of safety after they suffered their third straight defeat but Dan Micciche says they shouldn’t give up on survival just yet and called for the city of Milton Keynes to unite behind their club.
John Marquis scored twice in the second half for Rovers as Darren Ferguson’s men came from behind to all but secure their League One status next season with their third win from four.
Ike Ugbo’s early opener for MK was well deserved as the Dons dominated most of the first half but Ferguson’s side came out from the break with purpose and turned the game on its head on the stroke of the hour through Marquis’ brace to consolidate Rovers’ midtable position and dent MK’s faltering survival fight.
“We have to keep fighting for this football club because it’s a fantastic club but nothing I say now is going to change the result,” admitted MK boss Micciche.
“The players are on the floor and they understand the supporters’ frustrations, but this hurts them because I know how much this means.
“I believe in our work and we’ll keep going until someone says we mathematically can’t stay up – this will be a true test of our unity as a city now.”
MK’s opener arrived after George Williams found Chuks Aneke on the edge of the box, who took the ball down and played strike partner Ugbo through on goal before the Chelsea loanee slotted home.
But Doncaster found a leveller after just four second-half minutes when MK keeper Wieger Sietsma parried Alex Kiwomya’s shot straight into the path of Marquis who easily tapped in.
And the visitors completed the turnaround just after the hour when James Coppinger sailed through the MK midfield unchallenged before finding Tommy Rowe, who crossed to the unmarked Marquis inside the box before he tapped home to punish MK’s questionable defending. “We didn’t have any energy in the first-half and they won every individual battle,” said Rovers boss Ferguson.
“I got into them at half time and in the second-half they responded and in the end it was a very important win for us.
“The lads were shattered because of how much they’ve put in, but that’s an answer to anyone who thinks we’re going to peter out this season because the determination we showed was fantastic we’re just going to try and win as many games as we can.”