Match ends, Harrogate Town 3, MK Dons 5.
HarrogateHarrogate Town3MK DonsMilton Keynes Dons5
MK Dons extinguished Harrogate's League Two play-off hopes with an enthralling triumph at the EnviroVent Stadium.
The visitors, who went into the game with a top-seven spot already guaranteed, did not take their foot off the gas as goals from Alex Gilbey, Max Dean, Stephen Wearne, Emre Tezgel and Ellis Harrison secured maximum points.
In a thrilling end-to-end encounter, George Thomson (2) and Abraham Odoh netted for the hosts, who also hit the frame of the goal five times.
Harrogate forged ahead in the 33rd minute when Odoh converted the rebound after Matty Daly's effort hit a post but MK Dons turned the tables with two goals in three minutes.
First, Gilbey levelled after receiving a return pass from Dean, who then grabbed his sixth goal in five games from close range.
Thomson made it 2-2 in first-half stoppage time with a superb 25-yard free-kick and Harrogate were back in front five minutes after the break when Thomson got on the end of Odoh's left-wing cross from six yards for his 18th goal of the season.
MK Dons were back level two minutes later when a long ball forward by Michael Kelly opened up the home defence far too easily and Wearne ran through to beat an exposed James Belshaw.
The Sulphurites went on to throw the kitchen sink at the visitors in their search for a winner with Daly hitting uprights on two more occasions and Thomson thudding an effort against the bar.
But Tezgel made it 4-3 in the 80th minute, collecting Dan Kemp's pull-back from the right byline before shifting the ball on to his left foot and beating Belshaw from six yards.
Two minutes later, Harrison then added a fifth, firing in from eight yards after the home side had failed to clear their lines, and there was still time for Thomson to strike another upright.
Report supplied by PA Media.
Line-ups
Harrogate
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 31Belshaw
- 2AbuSubstituted forSimsat 83'minutes
- 15O'Connor
- 16McDonald
- 23Foulds
- 22DooleySubstituted forSuttonat 62'minutes
- 7Thomson
- 8Cornelius
- 10Daly
- 9Odoh
- 18MuldoonSubstituted forFolarinat 75'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Oxley
- 6Burrell
- 12Folarin
- 14Sims
- 17Sutton
- 19Sivi
- 24March
MK Dons
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 32Kelly
- 4Tucker
- 5O'HoraSubstituted forKempat 59'minutes
- 3Lewington
- 2Norman
- 6Williams
- 17Robson
- 29Lofthouse
- 22Tezgel
- 8GilbeySubstituted forWearneat 45'minutes
- 18DeanSubstituted forHarrisonat 45'minutes
Substitutes
- 9Harrison
- 11Payne
- 21Harvie
- 24Wearne
- 27Kemp
- 33Marschall
- 50Bate
- Referee:
- David Webb
- Attendance:
- 3,573
Match Stats
Home TeamHarrogateAway TeamMK Dons
- Possession
- Home40%
- Away60%
- Shots
- Home16
- Away16
- Shots on Target
- Home9
- Away8
- Corners
- Home4
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home9
- Away10
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Harrogate Town 3, MK Dons 5.
Post update
Corner, MK Dons. Conceded by Rod McDonald.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Cameron Norman (MK Dons) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Emre Tezgel.
Post update
Attempt saved. Daniel Kemp (MK Dons) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Ellis Harrison.
Post update
Corner, MK Dons. Conceded by Matthew Foulds.
Post update
Foul by Ellis Harrison (MK Dons).
Post update
Anthony O'Connor (Harrogate Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Levi Sutton (Harrogate Town) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Abraham Odoh.
Post update
Attempt saved. Kyran Lofthouse (MK Dons) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Dean Lewington.
Post update
George Thomson (Harrogate Town) hits the right post with a right footed shot from outside the box. Assisted by Sam Folarin.
Goal!
Goal! Harrogate Town 3, MK Dons 5. Ellis Harrison (MK Dons) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Dean Lewington following a corner.
Substitution
Substitution, Harrogate Town. Toby Sims replaces Derrick Abu.
Post update
Corner, MK Dons. Conceded by Rod McDonald.
Goal!
Goal! Harrogate Town 3, MK Dons 4. Emre Tezgel (MK Dons) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Daniel Kemp.
Post update
Attempt missed. Ethan Robson (MK Dons) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Daniel Kemp from a direct free kick.
Post update
Stephen Wearne (MK Dons) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Rod McDonald (Harrogate Town).
Post update
Attempt blocked. Emre Tezgel (MK Dons) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Cameron Norman with a cross.
Post update
Attempt saved. Ethan Robson (MK Dons) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Cameron Norman.
Comments
Join the conversation
Just about sums them up, but well done MKDon.
If we are going to get to Wembley we are going to need to score a lot!
At least we get to try!
Going forward we look good. How James Daly hasn’t got 2 contenders for goal of the season is beyond me today - Two great strikes from distance against the post.
A great season - but conceding 9 at Mansfield , and 8 and 5 at home is worrying.