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GOALKEEPER David Martin stood between Town and three points at Stadium:MK.

While Town have now not lost in 34 league games – a record outside the top flight in England – and they remain in third place in League I, no doubt manager Lee Clark would have preferred a win that would have kept the pressure right on leading pair Charlton Athletic and Sheffield United.

Martin was the home hero as he saved Lee Novak’s penalty four minutes from time as the contest came to a chaotic and controversial end.

Novak, with seven goals this season, seemed the perfect choice to tie up a 2-1 victory for the visitors but his effort lacked power and Martin got down well to save, after a stunning bust up that had seen the Dons reduced to ten men as defender Gary McKenzie was sent from the field by referee Chris Foy after tangling with Town striker Alan Lee.

They say there are two sides to every story and certainly there was a fair amount of disagreement in the two camps as to what had happened.

Dons boss Karl Robinson thought McKenzie had been fouled and then man-handled by Lee before reacting, while Town boss Clark said that in his mind the referee’s assistant had given a foul on Lee before the melee and so it was a straightforward penalty award.

In the end all that mattered was that Town failed to take their opportunity from 12 yards and, as was the case at Oldham just a fortnight before, they were unable to kill off depleted opponents in the dying minutes.

However, the closing stages of the contest were in stark contrast to the rest of a match that saw both sides enjoy periods of control while producing some top quality and entertaining football.

The Dons started brightly as Shaun Mitchell forced a good save from Ian Bennett in the Town goal after just three minutes, but the visitors heeded the early warning and steadily took control of possession and began to dictate the pattern of the play.

The tide had already turned distinctly by the 11th minute when a great pass from Jack Hunt from the right flank found Danny Ward and he thumped a cracking 25 yard drive beyond Martin’s clutches only for the ball to smack against the bar.

Eight minutes later and it was again Hunt the provider for Ward and this time he cut in before seeing his effort deflect for a corner and Ward just kept the pressure coming as he then fired narrowly off target on 25 minutes.

The home side were definitely hurting as first Martin had to stretch out a leg after Lee got away a shot having wrestled Dons skipper Dean Lewington off the ball and seconds later the keeper was beaten as Novak battled to beat McKenzie to a bouncing ball but lifted his shot over the bar.

So on 36 minutes it was no surprise at all when Town again opened up MK on the right flank and from Hunt’s cross Lee got up to head at goal and when the ball came back off a post there was midfielder Scott Arfield to bury the rebound in the corner of the goal.

Within two minutes of taking the lead Town could have doubled it as Oscar Gobern and Ward combined tidily to set up Novak but he sent his shot wide of the target.

There can be no doubt that there was some straight talking done in the home dressing at half-time as the Dons returned to the field looking more determined and, more importantly, far better organised.

A fine solo run and shot from former Manchester United junior Luke Chadwick set the tone and by the 64th minute the Dons were back on terms when Town’s defence failed to react sharply enough following a corner and skipper Lewington pounced to batter a loose ball into the net from eight yards.

Lee tried to spark a response with a good turn and shot five minutes later, but the home side were now holding more possession and creating more chances.

With 17 minutes left on the clock it took a great block from Antony Kay to deny Stephen Gleeson a clear header on goal after Lewington had delivered a great cross into the danger area.

However, three minutes later Town went close again as Gary Roberts, who had replaced Ward as the threat from the flanks, found Novak and he managed to give a return pass only for Roberts to see his effort blocked and scrambled away from the six yard box.

Then came the rough and tumble of the closing minutes and though Lee had a late chance, Town’s hopes of taking six points away from two of their top four rivals inside five days were dashed with Novak’s spot kick woe.

But while two points might have gone begging, Town can still point to the fact that they faced two of their potentially toughest away trips and still have that amazing unbeaten run in the bag.

As they say there are two ways of looking at everything!

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