Johnston's error sees Luton gift MK Dons a first win of the season

A moment of rashness from Town defender George Johnston saw Luton frustratingly fail to build on last weekend’s 4-1 thrashing of Wycombe, handing MK Dons their first League One victory of the season this afternoon.

Having got back on level terms through Jordan Clark’s first league goal of the campaign with 20 minutes left, the visitors were in pole position to go on and win, or at least, take something from their trip to Stadium MK.

However, just nine minutes later, Johnston made a hash of goalkeeper Will Dennis’s clearance allowing forward Aaron Collins to nip in and, having made his way into the area, the centre half chose to slide in unnecessarily, despite the ball going out of play and catch the attacker, giving away such a needless penalty that Collins dusted himself down to crash home for what proved to be the winner.

Earlier, Hatters boss Jack Wilshere kept an unchanged side, unsurprisingly so, with the ease that Town triumphed at Adams Park, going close inside five minutes after winning a corner. It was taken short, Tudor Mendel’s ball in seeing a number of Luton players completely unmarked, but Clark couldn't get a touch and Dennis beat the ball away before Kasey Palmer could pounce.

Dons briefly threatened, Ibrahim Fullah volleying wide from 10 yards, as a quiet opening saw Town go close with 16 minutes gone, Jamie Donley working the ball wide to Palmer in oceans of space on the left wing, who cut in on his favoured right foot and went for goal, Dennis protecting his near post with a smart parry.

Town then fell behind to a goal not keeping with what had gone on before, as on 25 minutes, Alex Gilbey was able to get away from Wells and Walsh with too much ease on the Dons’ right. A slight nick took the ball up in the air, but the finish was absolutely out of this world, arrowing an utterly unbelievable right-footed angled volley into the top corner, James Shea with no chance at all.

Luton should have levelled immediately, Donley bursting forward and creating space for himself, only to see his low attempt hit Wells and bounce clear. Town kept pushing, Palmer dazzling his man once more and moving infield, playing a one-two before his attempt was parried behind by Dennis.

Dons tried their luck again from range on 38 minutes when Fullah got away from Walsh, but couldn’t replicate the heroics of his team-mates, off target this time. With Town’s away end getting unnecessarily frustrated when Luton went back to Shea from the halfway line, the visitors tried to level proceedings before the break, Mendel with some good approach play that his end product didn’t match, before Palmer fed Donley on the overlap, Dennis tipping his fierce blast over.

The second period saw Palmer come into proceedings more and more as Luton’s out ball, but once more, they were unable to fashion a goalscoring chance, with their crosses not meeting their destination. On 56 minutes, Dons should have scored again, Elijah Campbell escaping at the near post to meet a corner, heading narrowly wide.

Luton then went up the other end, Mendel swinging his right boot at a clearance but couldn’t make the required connection, Mads Andersen doing well to stop a Dons counter as the visitors committed bodies forward. On the hour mark, Callum Marshall replaced Wells, as the hosts began to get a foothold themselves, Sam Nombe’s cross from the right hitting Johnston and beating Shea only to bounce away from the line.

A huge pump upfield by Johnston sent the unmarked Mendel away, who got past the covering Sam Silvera, but with the goal opening up, tried to set up Marshall instead, overhitting it, as the attacker’s cross was shanked wide by Donley on the volley. With 6,000 fans willing them on, Luton did have the leveller on 70 minutes, Mendel able to work the ball to Clark in a central position and he slotted into the bottom corner on his to make it 1-1.

The visitors were then incredibly lucky not to concede a penalty on 72 minutes when a corner was played in, hitting Marshall’s arm at the near post, referee Martin Coy clearly not seeing the infringement and allowing play to carry on, Odoffin getting away to shoot wastefully wide at the other end. The official was pointing to the spot soon afterwards though, when Johnston had a horror show at the back. Collins making the most of his gift to put Dons back in front when picking out the side-netting.

Palmer tried to draw Luton level, ambitiously wide with a curler as Luton went for broke from the sidelines, bringing on Devante Cole, Jake Richards and Izzy Jones for the last seven minutes. Still the chances weren’t forthcoming until stoppage time, Marshall putting his header over the bar, Emilio Lawrence slicing off target having made space for himself and Marshall swivelling to shoot tamely at Dennis.

With the final whistle came an emptying away end, the Hatters’ supporters let their players know exactly what they felt about their performance, greeted by jeers, they tasted a disappointing fourth defeat from six matches.

Dons: Will Dennis, Charlie Goode, Alex Gilbey ©, Sam Nombe, Aaron Collins (Gethin Jones 90), Sam Silvera (Cohen Bramall 89), Elijah Campbell, Marvin Ekpiteta, Ibrahim Fullah (Ben Wiles 59), Ryan Wintle, Jack Sanders. Subs not used: Seb Stacey, Daniel Barlaser, Dan Crowley, Jay Mateta.

Hatters: James Shea, Hakeem Odoffin, Kal Naismith ©, Mads Andersen (Izzy Jones 84), George Johnston, Liam Walsh, Jordan Clark, Jamie Donley (Emilio Lawrence 75), Tudor Mendel (Jake Richards 84), Kasey Palmer (Devante Cole 83), Nahki Wells (Callum Marshall 59). Subs not used: Josh Keeley, Joe Johnson. Booked: Wintle 57, Gilbey 64. Referee: Martin Coy. Attendance: 16,377 (6,000 Hatters).