Milton Keynes Dons have slipped to the bottom of the League One table after a 1-0 loss at home to Wycombe Wanderers, the team's fifth league loss in a row.
The game began in a subdued manner, with neither team truly asserting themselves in the opening five minutes. The Dons earned consecutive throw-ins deep in Wycombe's half before Nathan Holland registered the first shot of the game, with Max Stryjek easily scooping up the tame effort.
The game sparked into life in the 12th minute when the Dons came agonisingly close to opening the scoring. Daniel Harvie’s swinging cross from the left flank found Will Grigg deep in the box but it couldn’t be turned goalwards.
The visitors had a chance at goal a few minutes later as Chris Forino put in a strong header, with Jamie Cumming grabbing the ball comfortably out of the air.
Moments later and Louis Barry attempted a strike from thirty yards, seeing his effort deflect out for a corner with Stryjek sliding to his side as the effort looked close.
Dons started to put more pressure on the opposition defence, as Grigg chested the ball down to Barry who looked to score, seeing Stryjek gets his body in the way and force a corner.
Alfie Mawson tried his luck from range, seeing a bobbling effort calmly scooped up by Cumming. Moments later and the Dons had shouts for a penalty as Barry was bundled over for the second time in the game, with the referee keeping his whistle at his side.
Just over five minutes before the half, the visitors had a flurry of chances around the Dons box before Bradley Johnson put in a vital block to force a corner. The corner would lead to the opening goal of the game, however, as the ball was cleared out to Nick Freeman who let rip for 30 yards out, clearing the crowded box and seeing his effort hit the far corner of the Dons' goal, putting the visitors up 1-0.
Going a goal down saw the Dons begin to panic, making sloppy errors and almost allowing a second goal as added time began, only to see the effort go wide from six yards out.
Fortunately, the Dons were given a reprieve as the half-time whistle blew, allowing them time to compose themselves and refocus on the remaining 45 minutes.
The home side came out positively in the second half, with Daniel Oyegoke running down the right and forcing a corner within the opening minute, with the Dons forcing the issue early on with pressure in the box.
Five minutes into the restart and the Dons forced Stryjek into making a save as Barry cut onto his right, curling an effort inside the box but not strong enough to beat the keeper.
A long ball allowed Garath McCleary to get a header towards goal a few minutes before the hour mark, but it looped up and over long enough for Cumming to claim it without much hesitation.
The visitors began to grow into the game once again, piling on more pressure on the home side as the game entered the final third, with some hesitancy and indecision creeping into the Dons' game. A header from Sam Vokes came close to crossing the line before Cumming managed to grab it at the last moment, keeping the scoreline modest.
Dons were very fortunate not to concede after a Dean Lewington mistake allowed the visitors to pick out McCleary, who took a shot almost unchallenged in the middle, only to see the ball sail wide of the mark in the 74th minute.
After an extended period of allowing Wycombe to control the game, Matt Dennis finally made something happen for the Dons as he cuts inside the opposition box and forced the keeper into making a save from close range. Moments later and Dennis came close once again, barrelling through the defence but unable to get the ball beyond the keeper.
Daniel Harvie forced Stryjek into making a save after making a positive run at the end of regulation, with the ensuing corner finding Johnson's header towards goal, once again saved.
Predictably, the visitors used every opportunity to wind the clock down and see out the result, with the Dons unable to find a way to pull themselves back into it, condemning them to a fifth consecutive league loss, sending them to the bottom of League One with other results in the league seeing Morecambe and Burton leapfrog them in the standings.
MK Dons Line-Up: Cumming, Oyegoke, O'Hora, Lewington, Jules, Harvie, McEachran (81' Smith), Johnson, Holland (68' Dennis), Barry (90' Kayode), Grigg
