Manning demands better after fightback

LIAM Manning believes his squad can play even better after they came from behind to edge past Lincoln.

In a hard-fought game, the Dons fell behind to John Marquis’ strike, but eventually turned it around through goals either side of the interval from defenders Harry Darling and Warren O’Hora.

And despite an important win that took his team to third spot in League One, Manning admitted that his players can perform at a higher level than what they showed against the Imps.

The MK Dons boss said: “I think the guys know their level and they know they can play better than that. The best thing for me is that they know what they’re capable of and I don’t need to tell them.

“It was a really tough game, not the sort of game we’re often associated with but we showed real resilience and toughness, and ultimately found a way to win.

“It shows that they’re willing to fight and I’m delighted with lots of aspects of the game, but of course frustrated with certain elements.”

Lincoln took an early lead when Anthony Scully’s cross found Marquis unmarked inside the hosts’ six-yard box, before the frontman poked home his seventh goal of the season.

But Manning’s men drew level five minutes before the break when Imps keeper Josh Griffiths parried Theo Corbeanu’s shot, only for Darling to rise highest and nod in the rebound for his fifth goal of the season.

The hosts turned the game on its head immediately after the restart through the unlikely O’Hora, who found the net with an emphatic close-range strike for his first Dons goal.

Lincoln manager Michael Appleton said his side showed they are capable of going on the winning-run that will be required to stay out of relegation trouble.

He said: “We feel hard done by a little bit because I felt we were more than comfortable and deserved to take a point out of the game.

“Apart from the two goals, I was reasonably pleased with the performance.

“I just think we’re capable as a group of winning four or five games on the bounce and that’s what

I’ve said to them in there.”