MK Dons 3-0 Carlisle United: Dire Blues well beaten

A dismal showing saw United opened up too easily as Callum Hendry and Alex Gilbey put Mike Williamson's side in control in the first half.

Joe Tomlinson increased the margin in added time as Paul Simpson's side were left chasing shadows at Stadium MK, with boos from away fans greeting the full-time whistle.

Carlisle's efforts to fight back came too late, debutant sub Dominic Sadi going close but United doing far from enough as they fell to a second defeat of the League Two campaign.

It was a substandard showing overall from the Blues, who allowed the hosts to find their passing groove too easily and gain their first points of the 2024/25 campaign.

And the game also saw the latest injury to hit Georgie Kelly in his United career, the substitute having to be taken off just 12 minutes after coming on.

The convincing setback was a third defeat from four in all competitions, and a second in the league, as Simpson's side failed to build on the previous weekend's home victory over Barrow.

United were without Terell Thomas, who was not risked after failing to train during the week because of a hamstring problem.

Unitec can't keep out Callum Hendry's opener (Image: Richard Parkes)

Sam Lavelle took his place in defence for his first start of the season in the only change to the XI, while new loan signing Sadi was on the bench for his first game.

Luke Armstrong, who became a father last weekend, was back in the squad as a substitute for the Blues' first visit to Stadium MK since 2018.

Hosts MK Dons made two changes, with defender Laurence Maguire - brother of Manchester United and England's Harry - making his debut, and Connor Lemonheigh-Evans also coming into the side, veteran Dean Lewington and Jack Tucker dropping to the bench.

United almost found a way through in the opening seconds as Daniel Adu-Adjei broke onto Ben Williams' clipped pass, but the striker couldn't keep the ball under control.

From there a familiar pattern developed with MK Dons dominating possession as United tried to apply pressure.

Lemonheigh-Evans shot high and wide early on with a Williams free-kick, into the wall, and a 20-yard curling Aaron Hayden shot coming from rare Blues forays the longer things went on.

The hosts had not tested United's box unduly in the opening stages despite having most of the ball - but on 18 minutes they cut through.

The opener came after Carlisle had defended a free-kick but, as MK recovered possession, Aaron Nemane broke unattended down the right and his cut-back found Hendry in space to volley into the bottom left corner.

That saw the hosts grow in confidence, Tomlinson next to test Harry Lewis from distance and Carlisle needing to regain some territory.

This remained a struggle and the hosts came again when Tom Carroll pounced on some Ben Barclay miscontrol but declined to shoot and the dangerous Nemane's resulting cross was eventually smothered by Harry Lewis.

Jon Mellish challenges Connor Lemonheigh-Evans (Image: Richard Parkes)

Tomlinson had another attempt, which flew well wide, with United unable to make the most of their occasional breaks into home territory.

And then on 31 minutes it was two, Carlisle failing to put Carroll under pressure outside the box, the midfielder then supplying Nemane with a pass inside Williams, and the wide man supplying Gilbey to tap in from close range.

The passive Blues had been unpicked far too easily and it then took a last-ditch Lavelle slide to deny Gilbey another, while Lewis later parried a Hendry shot from outside the area.

Carlisle applied pressure late in the half with Harrison Neal twice seeing shots blocked and Barclay testing keeper Tom McGill, but United remained well adrift at the break.

Simpson brought on Sadi for his debut at the start of the second half, with Barclay withdrawn, and the new boy was immediately involved in a positive break, turning away from his man before Adu-Adjei teed up Jon Mellish for a powerful shot that cleared the bar.

At the other end, Nemane again got beyond Williams, as Hayden cleared this cross, before ambitious penalty appeals from the home wide man, as he went down against United's left wing-back, were waved away.

Lemonheigh-Evans then failed to keep a shot down for MK as a Williams headed clearance broke his way.

Dominic Sadi went close on his debut (Image: Richard Parkes)

The hosts lost defender Luke Offord to injury eight minutes into the second half, Jack Tucker replacing him, and soon afterwards Archie Davies broke forward to tee up Adu-Adjei, but the United striker curled his finish well wide.

Williamson's side then came close when intercepting a Lewis clearance, Tomlinson running onto Gilbey's lay-off before seeing his shot saved.

Nemane, who gave Williams a torrid afternoon, then cut past the wing-back for the latest time before rifling across goal and wide from a narrow angle.

Adu-Adjei failed to make the most of a cross midway through the half with MK then breaking and Stephen Wearne shooting narrowly wide.

Georgie Kelly came off the bench, only to go off injured 12 minutes later (Image: Richard Parkes)

Simpson sent on Armstrong for Adu-Adjei, and later both Jack Ellis and Kelly came on for Williams and Charlie Wyke respectively, but the Blues' efforts to come back into things looked forlorn.

United did apply some sustained late pressure and new boy Sadi could have pulled one back when volleying a Neal cross on target, but McGill was equal to the finish.

Appeals for a penalty when Sam Sherring challenged Armstrong did not interest the officials, moments after the United striker had been denied at the near post.

Injury then struck Kelly for the latest time in his Blues career, the forward going off just 12 minutes after coming on, Dan Butterworth taking his place for the closing stages.

But MK Dons then swept forward and added a third late on, Tomlinson breaking in from the left and his low delivery appearing to find the bottom corner without a touch from sub Ellis Harrison.

Hayden's block denied home sub Tommy Leigh an injury-time fourth as Carlisle were left well adrift of their opponents, many travelling fans jeering the display as the final whistle was sounded after nine added minutes, United now 19th in the fledgling fourth-tier table.

MK Dons: McGill, Maguire, Sherring, Offord (Tucker 54), Carroll, Tomlinson, Nemane (Tripp 89), Wearne (Leigh 80), Lemonheigh-Evans (Williams 89), Gilbey, Hendry (Harrison 80). Not used: Harness, Lewington.

Goals: Hendry 18, Gilbey 33, Tomlinson 90.

Booked: Wearne, Nemane, Tripp.

United: Lewis, Hayden, Lavelle, Mellish, Davies, Williams (Ellis 72), Barclay (Sadi 46), Neal, Vela, Wyke (Kelly 72, Butterworth 84), Adu-Adjei (Armstrong 67). Not used: Breeze, Allan.

Ref: Farai Hallam.

Crowd: 6,399 (734 United fans).