MK Dons 2-1 Lincoln City match report - dominant Imps fall to first defeat of the season

Lincoln City’s flawless start to the season was ended by a 2-1 defeat at MK Dons.

The Imps conceded their first goal of the season when Callum Brittain scored early on, but Tyler Walker levelled soon after with his second goal in the successive games.

George Williams restored the Dons’ lead midway through the first half, despite appearing to be in an offside position.

The Imps dominated the second half and almost found an equaliser in the last seconds of added time when Jason Shackell’s header crashed off the bar.

The Imps’ run of four clean sheets was ended in only the second minute as the Dons made a dream start.

Neat build-up play ended with Kieran Agard’s low cross being turned home from close range by Brittain.

The lead lasted less than 10 minutes as the Imps responded superbly to falling behind. Jorge Grant was the provider, laying the ball off to Tyler Walker, who fired home a terrific low drive from just inside the box.

But just as City had, the Dons reacted well to conceding and, following a bout of pressure and possession, the home side restored their lead, albeit in bizarre fashion.

Tyler Walker scores the Imps' first half equaliser against MK Dons (Image: CameraSport - Chris Vaughan)

Jordan Bowery’s volley hit a prone Williams and deflected into the net. Imps keeper Josh Vickers appealed to the linesman for offside, but the goal was allowed to stand.

In an eventful first half, both sides then wasted golden chances to score again. Following an excellent move, Agard broke into the Imps box. From a tight angle he had just Vickers to beat, but dragged his effort well wide.

Ten minutes before the break, the Imps were gifted a chance to get back on terms when a terrible error from keeper Lee Nicholls saw him present the ball to the alert Jack Payne.

But Nicholls redeemed himself by blocking Payne’s attempted chip before scrambling it away.

The Imps went close again on 38 minutes when Grant fashioned space for a shot from the edge of the box, with his curling effort going inches wide of the far post.

Lincoln City's Tyler Walker celebrates scoring against MK Dons (Image: CameraSport - Chris Vaughan)

Payne had another good chance 11 minutes into the second half. After Harry Anderson raced down the left, he picked out Payne, who took a touch but then fired over when a player of his quality would have expected to hit the target.

The Dons responded 60 seconds later with Hiram Boateng forcing Vickers into a finger-tip save to concede the game’s first corner.

Shackell was next to go close after being found by Harry Toffolo’s cutback, but his side-footed effort was blocked by a defender.

The Imps threw on John Akinde and Bruno Andrade for Walker and Michael O’Connor for the final quarter in a bid to find an equaliser.

There were numerous half-chances and efforts from long range, but although Nicholls was kept busy, most of his saves were comfortable ones.

He was almost beaten at the end of added time when Shackell met Joe Morrell’s centre, but his header struck bar just before the final whistle sounded.