MK Dons 5 Walsall 0 - Report
Walsall had a day to forget as MK Dons condemned them to a dismal 5-0 defeat at Stadium MK.
Emre Tezgel fired MK Dons into the lead on 30 minutes after Mo Faal had passed up two glorious chances during the early stages.
MK Dons ran riot in the second half as Max Dean doubled their advantage from the spot on the hour and Alex Gilbey added a third moments later.
Joe Tomlinson got in on the act 15 minutes from time and Dean bagged his brace to compound Walsall's misery.
Mike Williamson's men came into this match on the back of a 5-0 thumping at Stockport County, but it was Walsall who were on the end of a heavy defeat in Buckinghamshire.
Donervon Daniels was immediately restored to the starting XI after recovering from an ankle injury but had an afternoon to forget on his 100th appearance for the club.
MK took the lead on the half-hour mark through Stoke City loanee Tezgel after Faal had squandered two golden opportunities during the opening exchanges.
Josh Gordon cushioned a header down into his path but the Albion loanee could only lash a low shot wide of Dons goalkeeper Michael Kelly's right-hand post and the Dons goalkeeper would foil him with his second chance.
They would live to rue those missed opportunities when Tezgel was left unmarked inside the box to prod home Gilbey's flick-on from Tomlinson's cross.
Stephen Wearne had an opportunity to extend MK's advantage before the break but was expertly repelled by Smith.
Mat Sadler introduced Ross Tierney at the start of the second half but his switch to a 3-4-2-1 failed to arrest the Saddlers' second half slump.
The nightmare started when Daniels' poor back pass was cut out by substitute Dean, who was then wiped out by Walsall goalkeeper Smith.
Smith guessed the right way from the resulting spot-kick but Dean sent a calm finish nestling into the bottom corner.
The Dons sensed blood and Walsall completely fell apart. Gilbey slotted wide from the edge of the box and would be celebrating a third moments later when he applied a composed finish to Dean's threaded pass.
Walsall simply couldn't deal with MK's siege on their goal and the Buckinghamshire side ran riot in a miserable second half for the Saddlers.
MK looked hungry for more as Lewis Bate drilled wide from distance and Dean continued his impact from the bench as he teed up Joe Tomlinson to score their fourth 15 minutes from time.
The hosts added salt into gaping wounds when Dean was at the double with 10 minutes remaining. Walsall failed to deal with Cameron Norman's knockdown from a Dons' corner and Dean showcased his predatory instincts inside the box to hook home from close range.
MK Dons (3-4-2-1): Kelly; Norman, O'Hora, Harvie (Lewington 70); Lofthouse, Payne (Robson 55), Bate (Williams 76), Tomlinson; Wearne (Camp 69), Gilbey; Tezgel (Dean 54).
Not used: Marschall, Harrison.
Walsall (3-1-4-2): Smith; Daniels (Oteh 65), Okagbue, Allen; Comley (Matt 65); Adegboyega, Hutchinson, Stirk, L Gordon; J Gordon (Johnson 75), Faal (Tierney 46).
Not used: Evans, Farquharson, James-Taylor.
Referee: Ed Duckworth
Attendance: 8,121 (1,513)
