MK Dons Cruise Past Oldham Athletic to Reach FA Cup Third Round

Introduction: FA Cup Drama at Stadium MK

The FA Cup second round delivered an exciting encounter as MK Dons booked their place in the FA Cup third round with a 3-1 win over fellow League Two side Oldham. This fixture represented a crucial opportunity for both teams to progress in England’s oldest cup competition, with the winners earning a coveted spot in the third round where Premier League and Championship sides enter the fray.

Match Summary: Dons’ Quality Shines Through

Joe Tomlinson and Liam Kelly struck either side of half time for the hosts, but Luke Hannant pulled one back from the spot to give Oldham hope. Tomlinson latched onto a header back across goal and hit a sweet volley past the goalkeeper to break the deadlock just before half-time. After the interval, Kelly hit a crisp half-volley past Hudson and into the bottom corner to double MK Dons’ advantage.

Oldham fought back when substitute Hannant scored a 75th-minute penalty after Laurence Maguire’s foul on Mike Fondop, setting up a tense finale. However, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing added a third at the death as Paul Warne’s side ensured they would be in the hat for the third round.

Post-Match Reaction and Significance

Micky Mellon saw plenty of endeavour from his Latics side but admitted they lacked “quality” in the key moments as they were knocked out of the FA Cup by MK Dons. The Oldham boss acknowledged his team were “beaten by a very good team who have loads of qualities and they showed them today”.

The result means Oldham are looking to reach the third round of the FA Cup for the first time since 2020-21, going out at this stage of the competition last season against Leyton Orient. For MK Dons, the victory continues their strong recent form and gives them something to look forward to when the third round draw takes place, potentially offering a glamour tie against top-flight opposition.