Flash report: MK Dons 1 Doncaster Rovers 2

A John Marquis brace saw Rovers come from behind to beat relegation-threatened MK Dons at stadium:mk.
MK Dons v Doncaster RoversMK Dons v Doncaster Rovers
MK Dons v Doncaster Rovers

The battling hosts were much the better side in the first half as they pushed for the points they so desperately need as they look to claw their way out of League One's bottom four.

And they took a deserved lead through the lively Ike Ugbo.

But Rovers awoke in the second half and their quality showed as Marquis netted twice to make it a third win from their last four matches.

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Darren Ferguson opted for two changes from the side that started the goalless draw at Gillingham the previous week.

Back game Jordan Houghton following his knee injury while Alex Kiwomya was restored to the starting XI after sitting out the last game entirely.

Rovers really struggled to get going in the first half against an MK Dons side fighting for their lives at the wrong end of the table.

The hosts had much more energy and much more fight from the opening whistle and pushed Rovers onto the back foot early.

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But it was Rovers who had the first chance and Tommy Rowe should have done better after being played into space on the angle by Marquis only to drag wide of the far post.

MK Dons should have been ahead inside ten minutes.

Peter Pawlett saw a shot blocked by Joe Wright before the ball was fed back out to him and he drew a fine save from Marko Marosi.

Pawlett continued to cause Rovers problems and ran untracked across the face of the box before seeing a shot batted away by Marosi.

By the 19th minute, MK Dons were deservedly ahead.

George Williams was given the freedom of stadium:mk on the right to pick out Chuks Aneke who in turn flicked on to Ugbo to place in from close range.

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Rovers made a change with Matty Blair going off after receiving treatment for a head injury with Alfie Beestin replacing him.

It saw a formation switch with Rovers moving into a 4-2-3-1 system. Rowe dropped in at left back with Kiwomya sitting in the three alongside Coppinger and Beestin.

It was Wright to the rescue for Rovers on the half hour mark as he headed off the line after Ugbo clipped a shot over the on-rushing Marosi.

Rovers began to have more of a presence in the game as half time approached and Mathieu Baudry sliced high and wide after a ball dropped to him from a corner.

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Ugbo again drew a fine save from Marosi but Rovers should have been level moments later when Rowe met a Coppinger corner at the near post unmarked but flicked beyond the far post.

And they had another glorious chance to equalise on the stroke of half time when Beestin fired well wide after a fine attacking move from Rovers.

Ferguson sent on Ben Whiteman for Luke McCullough at half time but stuck with the 4-2-3-1 system.

And within four minutes they were level.

Whiteman exchanged passes with Beestin on the edge of the box before sliding wide to Kiwomya who drilled a low pass across goal where Marquis met it to turn in from close range.

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While Rovers were much improved after the break, they were indebted to Marosi for keeping them level during a period of strong MK Dons pressure.

Marosi denied an Aneke drive from point-blank range before rushing out to smother a shot from Ugbo.

But Rovers should have gone ahead when Beestin latched onto Wiger Sietsma's poor parry and hooked wide.

Niall Mason dove in to block an Ugbo effort after he had been released into space by Williams.

And four minutes later, Rovers went in front.

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Coppinger released Rowe on a marauding run and he picked out Marquis who drilled a low shot into the far corner to complete the turnaround.

The hosts unsurprisingly had the better of the pressure in the later stages as they tried desperately to get something from the game.

But they struggled for clear cut opportunities and the closest they came was when Pawlett failed to connect with a low pass from Brandon Thomas-Asante as the 90 minute mark approached.

Rovers held on resolutely to claim another win and continue their strong finish to the season.

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MK DONS: Sietsma; Wootton, Ward, Lewington (Thomas-Asante 64); Williams, Upson, Brittain (Muirhead 71), Golbourne; Ugbo (Tavernier 80), Aneke, Pawlett. Subs not used: Jones, Cisse, Agard, Tymon.

ROVERS: Marosi; Blair (Beestin 25), Wright (Butler 74), Baudry, Mason; McCullough (Whiteman 46); Houghton, Rowe; Coppinger; Kiwomya, Marquis. Subs not used: Lawlor, Boyle, Kongolo, May.

REFEREE: Nicholas Kinseley (Essex)

ATTENDANCE: 8.,954