Match ends, MK Dons 0, Birmingham City 2.
MK DonsMilton Keynes Dons0BirminghamBirmingham City2
Birmingham continued their unbeaten start to the season with victory over Championship newcomers MK Dons.
Rob Hall's cross picked out the run of Samir Carruthers, but the former Aston Villa man fired into the side-netting for the host's best chance.
Stephen Gleeson side-footed into the bottom left corner to give Birmingham the lead against his former side.
Substitute Jacques Maghoma then slipped the ball past David Martin late on to seal a second league win for Blues.
MK Dons' patient, passing style was well marshalled by Birmingham's pressing approach in the early exchanges as the home side were reduced to few clear-cut chances.
Hall curled the ball high and wide from just outside the area as the game briefly opened up in an uneventful first period.
Birmingham endured an MK Dons rally just after the break, with Southampton loanee Sam Gallagher heading wide for the home side.
Clayton Donaldson's cut-back from the right side of the area found Gleeson, who fired in a pinpoint side-footed effort for his second goal in two games.
The opening goal saw the game's momentum shift, and Donaldson then held the ball up well before playing in Maghoma, who swept home to double the advantage.
As MK Dons tired, Birmingham could have had a third but David Cotterill fired wide after a good interchange of passes with David Davis.
MK Dons boss Karl Robinson said:
"We huffed and puffed in the second half and we got into better positions than we have done all season but we don't want to shoot.
"I said to them that I can't take responsibility for their shooting or our mentality after the first goal but I can take responsibility for my poor substitutions.
"Our finishing was poor and with the first chance they get Stephen, who's a wonderful technician, put it in the perfect position - and then we lost our heads."
Birmingham City manager Gary Rowett:
"Our standards have been set so high since I've been here and this season and in the first half I just felt there was a lack of intensity in what we did.
"I just wanted a reaction at half-time and it was probably the angriest that I've been and I threatened to make a couple of changes early in the game if we didn't liven up.
"In the end I made one and I think that change made the difference and we changed the formation - Jacques Maghoma came on the left and we moved Gleeson higher up the pitch.
"I thought by doing that we changed the game and we really dominated the second half in terms of our chances and in terms of our attacking play."
Line-ups
MK Dons
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Martin
- 12SpenceSubstituted forHodsonat 35'minutesBooked at 64mins
- 5McFadzeanBooked at 55mins
- 6Kay
- 3Lewington
- 39Poyet
- 8Potter
- 38Hall
- 14CarruthersSubstituted forMurphyat 67'minutes
- 9BowditchSubstituted forBakerat 67'minutes
- 13Gallagher
Substitutes
- 2Hodson
- 4Upson
- 7Baker
- 11Church
- 17Powell
- 22Cropper
- 31Murphy
Birmingham
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 29Kuszczak
- 31Caddis
- 28Morrison
- 23Spector
- 3Grounds
- 6KieftenbeldBooked at 37mins
- 8GleesonSubstituted forDavisat 68'minutes
- 11Cotterill
- 20ToralSubstituted forMaghomaat 54'minutes
- 7GrayBooked at 75minsSubstituted forShinnieat 83'minutes
- 9Donaldson
Substitutes
- 1Legzdins
- 4Robinson
- 10Thomas
- 19Maghoma
- 22Shinnie
- 26Davis
- 44Brock-Madsen
- Referee:
- Robert Atkin
- Attendance:
- 14,626
Match Stats
Home TeamMK DonsAway TeamBirmingham
- Possession
- Home68%
- Away32%
- Shots
- Home10
- Away12
- Shots on Target
- Home0
- Away3
- Corners
- Home3
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home9
- Away15
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, MK Dons 0, Birmingham City 2.
Post update
Lee Hodson (MK Dons) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Clayton Donaldson (Birmingham City).
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Lee Hodson (MK Dons) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Jacques Maghoma (Birmingham City).
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Corner, MK Dons. Conceded by Jonathan Spector.
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Offside, Birmingham City. Maikel Kieftenbeld tries a through ball, but Clayton Donaldson is caught offside.
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Josh Murphy (MK Dons) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Clayton Donaldson (Birmingham City).
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Attempt missed. David Davis (Birmingham City) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left.
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Attempt missed. Andrew Shinnie (Birmingham City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Jacques Maghoma with a cross.
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Hand ball by Andrew Shinnie (Birmingham City).
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Attempt missed. Sam Gallagher (MK Dons) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Diego Poyet.
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Attempt blocked. Carl Baker (MK Dons) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Lee Hodson.
Substitution
Substitution, Birmingham City. Andrew Shinnie replaces Demarai Gray.
Goal!
Goal! MK Dons 0, Birmingham City 2. Jacques Maghoma (Birmingham City) left footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Clayton Donaldson with a through ball.
Post update
Josh Murphy (MK Dons) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Paul Caddis (Birmingham City).
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Josh Murphy (MK Dons) wins a free kick on the left wing.
