MK Dons 1 Walsall 0 - Report

Callum Hendry scored the only goal of the contest in the 18th minute when the Dons marksman converted Liam Kelly's low cross at the back post.

Jack Earing came closest for Walsall when his close-range effort was saved by Dons goalkeeper Tom McGill as they slipped to back-to-back away defeats in League Two.

Mat Sadler made two changes from Tuesday's 1-1 draw against Birmingham City in the EFL Trophy. Blues loanee George Hall was handed his debut and Jamie Jellis was recalled to the starting XI as both Ronan Maher and Charlie Lakin dropped to the bench.

Evan Weir also made his league debut at left wing-back and Nathan Lowe led the line on his first start in League Two.

MK Dons made just one alteration with Tommy Leigh preferred to Stephen Wearne on the left wing. The hosts dominated possession as expected and Walsall looked a shadow of the team that frustrated Birmingham so brilliantly in the EFL Trophy. Walsall were lethargic and struggled to look after the ball on the rare occasions they did have possession in the first half.

It took 18 minutes for the opener to arrive when Hendry ghosted in at the back post to notch his second goal for the club since making his summer switch from Salford City. Liam Kelly broke free down the right hand side far too easily and squared to the back post where Hendry made no mistake with a clinical finish.

Mat Sadler's men almost produced an immediate response when Earing's stabbed finish from Jellis' delivery was repelled by McGill's outstretched right arm.

But the Dons quickly reasserted control albeit with clear-cut chances being limited. They came close twice in quick succession just past the half-hour mark with Aaron Nemane at the heart of the action.

Leigh surged inside to open up the pitch and spread the ball to skipper Alex Gilbey. He found Nemane racing forward on the overlap but his low fizzing cross was turned behind by Sam Hornby.

Hendry then sent a delightful deft chip into the path of Nemane but he was unable to find the target with the onrushing Hornby doing enough to serve as an obstacle.

Sadler responded at the break with a double substitution as Charlie Lakin and Reyes Cleary replaced Weir and Hall.

Yet the Dons had a presentable chance to double their advantage seven minutes after the restart when Laurence Maguire was left unmarked at the back post but the defender was unable to direct his header on target.

Walsall still looked somewhat off the pace in the second period but they did at least stay in the contest. Earing hooked his shot high and over at the end of a promising move before Jellis' powerful low cross was turned behind by McGill.

Joe Tomlinson stung the palms of Hornby with a shot from inside the box but Sadler still attempted salvage something against the run of play with the attacking additions of Albert Adomah, Jamille Matt and Danny Johnson during the closing stages.

A leveller never arrived as Walsall dropped to sixth-place with a second away defeat of the season. They will next be in action when Bradford City travel to Bescot on Saturday next week.

MK Dons (3-4-3): McGill; Tripp, Offord, Maguire (Tucker 65); Nemane (Wearne 60), Lemonheigh-Evans, Kelly (Williams 82), Tomlinson; Leigh (Thompson-Sommers 65), Hendry (Dennis 82), Gilbey (c).

Not used: Harness, Harrison.

Walsall (3-1-4-1-1): Hornby; Okagbue, Williams, Allen; Stirk; C Barrett (Adomah 73), Jellis (Johnson 82), Hall (Cleary 46), Weir (Lakin 46); Earing; Lowe (Matt 72).

Not used: G Barrett, Maher.

Referee: James Oldham

Attendance: 6,547 (813)