8 hours Ago
CITY equalled a club record with a ninth Valley Parade victory on the bounce. T&A chief sports writer SIMON PARKER was at the 2-0 win over MK Dons yesterday and provides the match stats and his player ratings. MAN OF THE MATCH Antoni Sarcevic knows what it takes to go up – and showed that promotion-winning quality with two clinically-taken finishes.
It was an inspirational attacking performance to spearhead City’s record-equalling home win. MOMENT OF THE MATCH The second goal was great to watch; a perfectly-weighted pass from Bobby Pointon and the cool-headed confidence from Sarcevic to time his run and hot-step round keeper Connal Trueman to score. MOAN OF THE MATCH City felt they were robbed of a certain penalty when Travis Patterson appeared to flatten Callum Johnson – ref Seb Stockbridge was frustratingly whistle happy throughout but chose that occasion to wave play on.
TACTICS Graham Alexander made three changes from the side that started at Birmingham in the Vertu Trophy semi-finals. Michael Mellon and Tayo Adaramola came in for their home debuts and Callum Johnson returned at the back for the suspended Jack Shepherd. Aden Baldwin moved into the central defensive role.
Tyreik Wright missed out on the squad altogether after breaking his nose against Birmingham. REFEREE: Seb Stockbridge (Newcastle) BOOKINGS: Adaramola, Khela, Crichlow (City); Patterson (MK Dons) ATTENDANCE: 17,566 (with 314 from MK Dons) SHOTS ON TARGET: City 5 MK Dons 3 SHOTS OFF TARGET: City 9 MK Dons 2 CORNERS: City 3 MK Dons 4 FOULS: City 24 MK Dons 10 POSSESSION %: City 36 MK Dons 64 PLAYER RATINGS CITY: S Walker 7, Johnson 7, Baldwin 8, Crichlow 7 (Byrne 73min), Halliday 7, Smallwood 7, Pattison 7 (Khela 30min, 7), Adaramola 7 (Leigh 78min), Sarcevic 9, Pointon 8, Mellon 7 (J Walker 78min). Subs (not used): Huntington, Lapslie, Hilton.
MK DONS: Trueman 6, Waller 7, Offord 6, Lawrence 6, Patterson 6, Nemane 6 (O’Reilly 80min), Crowley 5, Kelly 6, Gilbey 5, Orsi 6 (Hendry 80min), Hogan 5 (White 62min, 7). Subs (not used): Thompson-Sommers, Lemonheigh-Evans, Tomlinson, Harness..
