MK Dons 0 Walsall 1 - analysis

The striker's 11th goal of the season on Saturday secured three points for Walsall, ended MK Dons' automatic promotion hopes and sent Peterborough up.

Best pal, Posh defender Gabriel Zakuani, had promised a slap up night on the town should Ibehre play his part in the promotion race.

He duly obliged with a 61st minute winner and you can bet a call will be going into Zakuani this week.

The pair were at Leyton Orient together but, with Ibehre's season set to end prematurely, he will be after some comforting sustenance.

The 26-year-old fell with a hamstring injury 10 minutes after netting the winner which could end his season one game early.

Manager Chris Hutchings was hesitant to give an exact diagnosis but the way the hitman went down suggests his campaign is over.

After three goals in two games Ibehre hardly wants the season to end and if ever a player encapsulated the Saddlers it is him.

Much is made of his workrate and endeavour but he knows the end product has often been lacking – the story of Walsall's season.

The players are honest enough but they have underperformed this year.

There is talent, ambition and desire in the squad but fans will be left scratching their heads following the win at Stadium MK.

Three points from a team in the thick of the promotion race leads one to believe there is something about Hutchings' men.

They have beaten Leeds and Scunthorpe and took a point at Champions Leicester but Saturday highlighted their contrasting fallibilities and abilities.

How can a side capitulate to a average Huddersfield team one week and then go to one of the league's 'big guns' and come away with victory?

Any sort of consistency in League One will see you emerge as a front runner but the Saddlers' imperfections mean they've had little to play for over the past two months.

The facts don't lie. It has been a season of mediocrity, but what if they had found some consistency? What if Michael Ricketts hadn't been suspended for almost a quarter of the season? What if they hadn't leaked late goals?

Hutchings expects to have the same nucleus to work with next season and with quality additions there is belief they can challenge.

But his current charges now have the carrot of a top 10 finish should they beat Oldham in the season finale on Saturday.

Psychologically it cannot be underestimated – just as a potential 14th place finish would be dejecting.

It would represent a fine achievement from a season which has barely got out of second gear.

Hutchings admitted afterwards he was jealous of the Dons' position but their performance is unlikely to evoke much envy.

The home side's efforts mirrored the soulless nature of their stadium, very pretty but little substance.

Considering what was at stake their lack of desire, tempo and drive was surprising.

The home fans offered little to back their side too, though they were probably still wondering how to behave at a football match.

Having only been in existence five years none will be able to boast of their lifelong support and for clubs with history their ascent up the divisions will be hard to take.

But while the establishment will scoff and frown at the artists formerly known as Wimbledon, their rise on the pitch is something Walsall can aspire to.

Like it or not, they are still on the brink of consecutive promotions but will have to go through the play-offs after the Saddlers' role of party poopers.

Deprived of Ricketts, out with an Achilles injury, Mark Bradley was deployed in the 'hole' behind strikers Ibehre and Troy Deeney but soon switched to the right-wing in a re-shuffle designed to stifle the hosts.

Clayton Ince had to fist away from Mark Wright as Tore Andre Flo's effort deflected goalwards before Ibehre dragged a shot well wide.

They were two brief moments in a first half so devoid of excitement the mute crowd heard exactly what Sofiene Zaaboub said to the assistant referee to earn a booking.

At least he was passionate, but it was a struggle for anyone else to get worked up. Jason Puncheon saw a free-kick deflected over as the Dons tried and failed to break the Saddlers down as the sides went through the motions.

Needing a win to keep their automatic promotion hopes alive the Dons emerged after the break with astonishingly little purpose.

Neither keeper was unduly tested with the game played out away from the danger zones.

But cometh the hour, cometh the man, as Ibehre stunned the hosts.

The striker latched onto a long defensive clearance, left Jude Stirling in knots, before driving low past the static Willy Gueret from 25-yards.

It was their only shot on target in the game but it was the fillip the match desperately needed and forced the hosts to emerge from their shells.

Sam Baldock immediately tested Ince with an angled effort before the keeper gathered Puncheon's drive at the second attempt.

While they were necessary the next stop, 14 minutes from time, was impressive. The dangerous Puncheon crafted space on the right before whipping in a cross for the rising Wright.

The former Walsall winger looked certain to level but hadn't counted on the evergreen Ince who denied his former team-mate from point blank range.

The 36-year-old then rolled back the years to deny Peter Leven's piledriver.

Zakuani might have to extend his invitation to the Walsall keeper as well.

By Nick Mashiter.