Swindon Town 1, MK Dons 1 (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Swindon Town 1, MK Dons 1

2:40pm Saturday 7th March 2009

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Billy Paynter's ninth goal of the season earned Swindon a fully-deserved draw against ten-man MK Dons at the County Ground.

The towering striker's early header was cancelled out by Aaron Wilbraham's 27th minute equaliser for the high-flying Dons, who had skipper Dean Lewington sent off four minutes from the end for a second bookable offence.

It was a spirited display from Danny Wilson's battlers, who were left cursing their luck that they didn't grab all three points as they hit the woodwork twice through Paynter and Simon Cox.

The result was not enough to stop the Robins slipping into the relegation zone, as their winless run stretched to four games.

Wilson made three changes from the Town team that drew 2-2 with Cheltenham in midweek, with Kevin Amankwaah, Lilian Nalis and Sean Morrison coming in for Jerel Ifil, Lee Peacock and Jack Smith.

The Robins started brightly and Amankwaah's shot was cleared off the line by ex-Town skipper Sean O'Hanlon from Hal Robson-Kanu's third minute corner, after Dons goalkeeper Willy Gueret had punched Morrison's long throw over his own bar.

Cox fired over from 20 yards and Anthony McNamee sliced wide from the edge of the box as the hosts continued to boss the early stages.

And Paynter deservedly put Swindon ahead in the 18th minute, stealing in behind Jude Stirling to plant a 10-yard header past the flat-footed Gueret and into the corner of the net from McNamee's searching cross.

The goal sparked Milton Keynes into life and Peter Leven lashed a fierce 15-yard first-time strike just wide two minutes later.

Wilbraham equalised for the Dons in the 27th minute, tapping in Jemal Johnson's drilled low cross from six yards after Stirling's long throw had caused panic in the Town defence.

Cox should have restored Town's lead in the 35th minute but he somehow blasted against the crossbar after Robson-Kanu's pin-point cross had found him unmarked eight yards out.

Amankwaah almost caught out Gueret with a fizzing low 25-yard drive that the MK goalkeeper saved at his near post before he reacted smartly to block Cox's angled attempt from the rebound on the stroke of half-time.

Swindon started the second half well and Paynter's low 12-yard angled drive hit the near post within eight minutes of the re-start.

But the Dons settled into their stride and Wilbraham had a strong handball appeal waved away when his thunderous goal-bound strike was blocked by a crowd of Robins defenders on the line.

Sam Baldock slammed a 15-yard left-foot volley just wide for the visitors on the hour mark as they began to turn the screw.

The unmarked Robson-Kanu missed a golden opportunity to put Swindon ahead against the run of play when he headed Paynter's perfect cross straight at Gueret from five yards midway through the second half.

McNamee then curled an angled 16-yard strike inches wide for Town after getting the better of MK defender Lewington on the right.

Swindon dominated the closing stages and Robson-Kanu was denied by a terrific last-ditch block by Shaun Cummings as he looked set to score in the 81st minute.

The Robins had an almighty let-off four minutes from the end when Luke Chadwick poked the ball against the post after Town goalkeeper Peter Brezovan had weakly punched clear Stirling's long throw.

The visitors were reduced to ten men immediately afterwards as Lewington, who had earlier been booked for dissent, was shown a second yellow card for a foul on substitute Mark Marshall.

Swindon piled forward in the dying minutes but the Dons held firm to bag their third successive draw.

Swindon Town: Brezovan, Vincent, Timlin, Robson-Kanu, McNamee (Marshall 76), Amankwaah, Nalis, Paynter, Morrison (Ifil 82), Cox, Greer (c). Subs: P Smith, Ifil, Marshall, Sturrock, Razak.

Milton Keynes Dons: Gueret, Stirling, Lewington (c) (booked 76, booked 86), O’Hanlon, Johnson (Powell 58, booked 64), Wilbraham, Baldock, Cummings, Navarro, Leven (booked 76), Chadwick (Regan 88). Subs: Abbey, Regan, Gerba, Belson, Powell.

Referee: Mr A P D’Urso.

Attendance: 7,453.

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