MK Dons resisted a late Gillingham fightback to win 3-2 in League Two.
Sam Gale’s own goal gave MK Dons an early lead, before Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Callum Paterson extended their advantage.
Goals by Seb Palmer-Houlden and Jonny Williams saw the visitors nearly steal a point, but the Dons held on to triumph.
The hosts lost Scott Hogan to a warm-up injury, but they took a sixth-minute lead when Hogan’s replacement Laurence Maguire saw a strike deflected in by Gale for an own goal.
The Dons then scored a second goal just before the hour mark. Liam Kelly’s pass released Mendez-Laing, who twisted away from two defenders before firing past Glenn Morris.
Kelly missed a great chance from close range, but MK Dons made it 3-0 with just over 20 minutes to go as Paterson turned in Will Collar’s cross.
Palmer-Houlden grabbed a 76th-minute goal for Gillingham, turning in Aaron Rowe’s deflected cross, before Williams struck in added time as the visitors’ comeback fell just short.
