DON AND DUSTED BUT JAY’S SO PROUD
VERDICT: Maidstone will be kicking themselves. They dominated the first half and looked comfortable. But MK’s sharp forwards proved the difference in front of goal to spare the unwanted headlines
JAY Saunders praised his side’s high aspirations after Maidstone United threatened to cause an FA Cup upset against MK Dons.
Magnus Okuonghae got the National League team off to a perfect start against their League One opponents, as the defender gave the Stones an early lead.
Maidstone were hoping to secure a place in the third round for the first time since 1978, and for a while it seemed they would be able to reward the 1,541 travelling supporters.
But MK’s ruthless quality proved decisive in the second half as Aidan Nesbitt, Kieran Agard and Peter Pawlett all found the net to spare Robbie Neilson’s blushes after his side entered the half-time break to a chorus of jeers at Stadium MK.
“If you’d have told me we’d be where we are in the league and playing here in the second round of the FA Cup this time last season then I’d have bitten your hand off,” said Stones boss Saunders, who’s been in charge of the Kent outfit for almost seven years.
“I’d like to think our supporters are proud of the boys today because for a while we dared to dream, but unfortunately that wasn’t to be for us – I don’t think we’d have got a better opportunity to get to the third round.”
The visitors were unfazed by their opposition after defeating League Two side Cheltenham Town 4-2 in the previous round.
And they dominated much of the early play, meaning the goal from Okuonghae, who joined the club in February, was well deserved.
The 31-year-old smashed home from close range on 25 minutes after Zavon Hines’ corner fell loose in the sixyard box.
Maidstone threatened to double their lead several times, with Delano SamYorke firing just over the bar before Hines wasted a seemingly simple opportunity in front of goal.
But Dons’ talent in attack, with the likes of Gboly Ariyibi and Chuks Aneke up to their usual tricks, soon helped them turn things around. Nesbitt snatched the Dons’ leveller on 54 minutes after some clever trickery from the winger on the left of the Maidstone box created the space for a left-footed drive that flew past keeper Lee Worgan.
And the Dons’ superior quality showed in the second period when substitute Agard netted twice in eight minutes.
The 28-year-old had only just come onto the pitch when he poked home on 64 minutes, finding the net with a loose ball after an impressive save from Worgan.
Agard repeated the feat soon after, firing a rightfooted strike from the edge of the Stones’ box into the net.
Dons’ substitutes proved to be their saviour, as fellow replacement Pawlett was the man to wrap things up late on from inside the box.
“It was a proper FA Cup game,” said MK boss Neilson, whose side beat eighth-tier Hyde United to reach the second round.
“They’re always going to be difficult, it’s like a cup final day for them coming here.
“We didn’t take our chances and that gave them the opportunity to capitalise, so I think we showed a good strength of character to come back into the game.
“We told them at half-time to keep calm and the chances will come, and once we got the first and second goals we were very comfortable.”