Duff blasts referee as the Robins lose at MK
CHELTENHAM boss Michael Duff laid the blame at the foot of referee Tom Nield as his side suffered defeat to MK Dons.
Chuks Aneke, Rhys Healey and Robbie Simpson all found the net for MK Dons as Paul Tisdale’s side won for the first time at home since August.
The result means Cheltenham have won just two of their last 16 league games, deepening their position in the bottom half of League Two.
Duff said: “Up until 80 minutes we more than matched them and the referee missed a clear foul for their first goal, and we should have had a penalty as well in the first half.
“We’ve passed well and pressed hard and looked like a good team.
“I’d rather lose by two or three goals and try and chase the game, which is what we did late on.
“The second goal killed us, but a few of the referee’s decisions have cost us too because their first goal was a definite foul – no questions.”
The hosts were unfortunate not to be ahead early on when a long ball beat the Cheltenham defence and saw Healey race through on goal, but his shot saved.
The visitors grew into the game and went close through Jacob Maddox after 27 minutes, when the winger cut inside onto his right foot and fired a dipping drive goalwards.
The Dons took the lead after 34 minutes when a goalmouth scramble saw the ball drop at the feet of Aneke, before he swivelled and fired a right-footed drive into the net for his sixth of the season.
They doubled their tally in the 84th minute when a deep cross from George Williams found frontman Healey unmarked inside the box – the striker heading home before Simpson slotted home a penalty deep into injury time.
“It’s a really pleasing three points and the performances have been coming over the last two or three weeks – we’re starting to put the goals with the performance,” commented MK boss Tisdale, after his side made it back-to-back League Two victories.
“We kept with our play and we upped it in the second half, we pushed hard for the second and third goal, we got those goals at good times.
“We’re nowhere near the finished product and although we have got two wins on the bounce we don’t want to get complacent. There’s lots of work to do.”