Defender Dean Holden's first-half strike sealed Walsall's first home league victory of the season at the expense of MK Dons.

Holden's volley was also his first goal for the club as the former Chesterfield man guided the ball in at the back post from Jamie Paterson's corner.

Dons had chances, Dean Bowditch denied by defender Ben Purkiss before the same player hit the post.

Alan Smith could have levelled in injury time but David Grof saved.

VIEWS FROM THE DRESSING ROOM

MK Dons boss Karl Robinson told BBC Three Counties Radio:

"Fair play to Walsall. I thought their endeavour, their togetherness, their last-ditch defending, was remarkable, but we made so many chances - and if you don't take them, you're not going to win football matches, it's as simple as that.

"Obviously, a number of things went wrong for the goal, but the weird thing for me was the corner that led up to it, when Dave Martin went to punch it, the lad pushed him in the goal and he couldn't get to it and the referee waved play on.

"Two seconds later on the edge of the box a very similar thing happened when Darren Potter nudged their lad and he gave a free-kick against us."

Lineup, Bookings (5) & Substitutions (6)

Walsall

  • 01 Grof
  • 04 Butler
  • 05 Holden
  • 14 Purkiss
  • 26 Taylor Booked
  • 06 Featherstone
  • 08 Cuvelier
  • 10 Paterson
  • 11 Hemmings (Taundry - 86' )
  • 24 Baxendale (Jones - 77' )
  • 17 Bowerman (Williams - 90' )

Substitutes

  • 13 Jones
  • 02 Taundry
  • 20 Benning
  • 22 Downing
  • 16 Jones
  • 15 Taylor
  • 19 Williams

Milton Keynes Dons

  • 01 Martin
  • 02 Otsemobor
  • 03 Lewington
  • 06 Williams Booked
  • 24 Kay Booked
  • 07 Gleeson
  • 08 Potter
  • 09 Bowditch (Smith - 75' )
  • 17 Powell
  • 26 Chadwick (O'Shea - 68' Booked )
  • 14 Lowe Booked (MacDonald - 61' )

Substitutes

  • 50 Burns
  • 04 Doumbe
  • 12 Chicksen
  • 11 Smith
  • 23 O'Shea
  • 10 MacDonald
  • 19 Ibehre
Ref: Miller
Att: 3,657

Match Stats

Shots

9 20

On target

4 11

Corners

7 15

Fouls

6 10

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +5:39 Full time

Full Time The match has reached full-time.

90:00 +5:09

Jon Otsemobor has a shot on goal from outside the area which misses left.

90:00 +4:36

Free kick awarded for a foul by Aaron Williams on Shaun Williams. David Martin takes the free kick.

90:00 +3:41

Aaron Williams gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Darren Potter. David Martin takes the direct free kick.

90:00 +1:03

Ben Purkiss takes the direct free kick.

90:00 +1:03 Substitution

Substitution George Bowerman goes off and Aaron Williams comes on.

90:00 +1:03

Alan Smith takes a shot. Save made by David Grof. Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Alan Smith, clearance by Dean Holden. Ben Purkiss fouled by James O'Shea, the ref awards a free kick.

90:00 +0:38

Jake Jones is caught offside. Shaun Williams takes the indirect free kick.

89:21

Alan Smith takes a shot. Dean Holden gets a block in.

87:47

Unfair challenge on Andy Butler by Antony Kay results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by David Grof.

86:41

Florent Cuvelier takes a shot. David Martin makes a save.

85:14 Substitution

Substitution Richard Taundry on for Ashley Hemmings.

85:14

Effort from long distance by Shaun Williams goes wide right of the goal.

84:15

Shaun Williams restarts play with the free kick.

84:15 Booking

Booking The referee shows Andy Taylor a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.

83:51

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Daniel Powell by Andy Taylor.

83:07

James O'Shea produces a left-footed shot from the edge of the area and misses to the left of the goal.

82:27

Free kick awarded for a foul by Jake Jones on Stephen Gleeson. Dean Lewington takes the direct free kick.

80:39

Jake Jones is ruled offside. Shaun Williams restarts play with the free kick.

78:29

Corner taken by Shaun Williams, Andy Butler makes a clearance. Daniel Powell produces a volleyed right-footed shot from 18 yards. Blocked by Ben Purkiss. Corner taken by Shaun Williams, clearance by Andy Taylor.

77:12

James O'Shea takes a shot. Ben Purkiss gets a block in.

76:05

David Martin takes the indirect free kick.

76:05 Substitution

Substitution Jake Jones on for James Baxendale.

76:05

The assistant referee flags for offside against George Bowerman.

74:23 Substitution

Substitution Alan Smith comes on in place of Dean Bowditch.

70:03

David Grof restarts play with the free kick.

70:03 Booking

Booking Booking for James O'Shea for unsporting behaviour.

69:40

Charlie MacDonald takes a shot. Blocked by Ben Purkiss. Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Andy Butler by James O'Shea.

68:47

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Florent Cuvelier by Daniel Powell. Andy Butler takes the free kick.

66:48

David Martin restarts play with the free kick.

66:48 Substitution

Substitution James O'Shea on for Luke Chadwick.

66:48

Andy Butler restarts play with the free kick. Jamie Paterson concedes a free kick for a foul on Jon Otsemobor.

66:48 Booking

Booking Antony Kay is cautioned.

65:53

Corner taken by Jamie Paterson from the left by-line, Andy Butler takes a shot. Save by David Martin. Florent Cuvelier fouled by Antony Kay, the ref awards a free kick.

64:49

Free kick awarded for a foul by Charlie MacDonald on Andy Butler. David Grof takes the direct free kick.

59:48 Substitution

Substitution Charlie MacDonald is brought on as a substitute for Ryan Lowe.

59:48

Daniel Powell takes a shot. Dean Holden gets a block in. Corner taken by Dean Bowditch from the left by-line, clearance by Andy Butler.

58:06

David Grof restarts play with the free kick.

58:06 Booking

Booking The referee shows Ryan Lowe a yellow card.

57:55

Ryan Lowe challenges David Grof unfairly and gives away a free kick.

57:06

Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Shaun Williams, Andy Butler makes a clearance.

56:08

Nicky Featherstone handles the ball and concedes a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Jon Otsemobor.

54:57

Effort from the edge of the box by Jamie Paterson goes wide of the right-hand upright.

54:08

Darren Potter fouled by James Baxendale, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Antony Kay.

52:59

Darren Potter has a headed effort at goal from just inside the box that misses to the right of the goal.

52:21

Shaun Williams takes the inswinging corner, clearance by Andy Butler.

51:13

Antony Kay gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Jamie Paterson. Strike on goal comes in from Ashley Hemmings from the free kick.

47:31

Daniel Powell takes a shot. Save by David Grof. Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Dean Bowditch, Andy Butler makes a clearance. Shaun Williams takes a shot. Dean Holden gets a block in. Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Luke Chadwick from the right by-line, clearance made by Andy Butler. Corner taken by Shaun Williams from the right by-line played to the near post, clearance made by Nicky Featherstone.

45:01

The game restarts for the second half.

45:00 +4:04 Half time

Half Time The ref blows to signal half-time.

45:00 +0:40

Ryan Lowe has an effort at goal from deep inside the area missing to the right of the target.

41:34

Effort from just outside the area by Jamie Paterson goes over the target.

40:38

Luke Chadwick takes a shot. Blocked by Andy Butler. Dean Bowditch takes a outswinging corner from the right by-line played to the near post, Andy Butler manages to make a clearance.

39:16

Long distance effort from Jamie Paterson misses to the left of the goal.

36:39

Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Dean Bowditch from the left by-line, Antony Kay takes a shot. Clearance by Andy Taylor.

33:55

The assistant referee signals for offside against Dean Bowditch. Andy Butler takes the indirect free kick.

32:54

The offside flag is raised against George Bowerman. Indirect free kick taken by Stephen Gleeson.

29:17

Inswinging corner taken by Dean Bowditch, Andy Butler makes a clearance. Shot from just outside the box by Luke Chadwick misses to the right of the target.

27:56

Corner taken left-footed by Ashley Hemmings from the right by-line, clearance made by Dean Lewington.

25:29

Short corner worked by James Baxendale.

23:40

Dean Bowditch takes the inswinging corner, Headed effort from inside the area by Shaun Williams misses to the right of the target.

19:22

Dean Bowditch takes the outswinging corner, Andy Butler makes a clearance.

18:34

Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Dean Bowditch from the left by-line, Andy Butler manages to make a clearance.

17:36

Luke Chadwick takes a shot. Save by David Grof. Effort from the edge of the area by Dean Bowditch strikes the post.

16:29

The assist for the goal came from Jamie Paterson.

16:29 Goal scored

Goal - Dean Holden - Walsall 1 - 0 MK Dons A goal is scored by Dean Holden from inside the six-yard box to the bottom right corner of the goal. Walsall 1-0 Milton Keynes Dons.

15:26

The referee blows for offside. Ben Purkiss takes the direct free kick. Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Ashley Hemmings from the right by-line, save made by David Martin. Corner taken right-footed by Jamie Paterson,

13:23

Jamie Paterson takes the inswinging corner, save made by David Martin.

12:57

Handball decision goes against Stephen Gleeson. Florent Cuvelier takes the direct free kick.

11:59

Luke Chadwick takes a shot. Ben Purkiss makes a clearance. Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Andy Butler by Luke Chadwick. Direct free kick taken by David Grof.

5:48

Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Jamie Paterson, clearance by Antony Kay.

5:48 Booking

Booking The referee books Shaun Williams for unsporting behaviour.

5:30

George Bowerman takes a shot. Blocked by Jon Otsemobor.

3:27

Effort from outside the penalty box by Jamie Paterson goes wide right of the target.

2:33

Darren Potter challenges James Baxendale unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Ashley Hemmings.

1:31

The referee blows for offside against George Bowerman. Shaun Williams restarts play with the free kick.

0:00

The ref blows the whistle to start the match.

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