MK Dons Promoted to the Championship as Preston Slip Up

MK Dons have sealed promotion to the Championship with a 5-1 win over Yeovil.

Despite their fate being in Preston’s hands, the Dons went into the final day of the League One season in buoyant mood, and in the knowledge that anything other than a Preston win at Colchester would give them the initiative.

Karl Robinson’s side stormed into the lead thanks to Carl Baker’s effort seven minutes in, before two goals from Dean Lewington and goals from Darren Potter and Will Grigg ensured the Dons had done all they could at their end.

Preston will have gone into their own game with confidence, as they travelled to relegation-threatened Colchester. However, the hosts displayed tremendous fighting spirit, holding Preston for much of the game, before former West Ham man George Moncur hit the winning goal that would keep them in the division—and, in turn, send the Dons up.

For the Dons, the focus must quickly turn to Championship survival. With Dele Alli departing for Tottenham Hotspur this summer, the Dons cannot be complacent as they prepare for their first spell in the Championship since being renamed.

Robinson will be well aware of the need to bolster his squad. That can begin with the permanent signing of forward Grigg, who has been a key player in their promotion bid since signing on-loan from Brentford.

Many predicted that Benik Afobe’s departure for Wolverhampton Wanderers in January would spell the end of the Dons’ battle for automatic promotion. Yet, having survived that hammer blow, the Dons have kept scoring, and they eventually finished the season with 101 goals—more than any other side in the division.

Having suffered play-off heartache so many times in recent years, it was perhaps best for the Dons that they were able to avoid that mental stumbling block. It seems fitting, too, that Robinson was the man to take them up, after investing so much time and effort in this project. Keeping hold of the Football League’s second-youngest manager could be a battle in itself, as it is likely that Robinson will be in high demand in the Championship.

Prior to the Yeovil game, Robinson told BBC Sport that whatever happened, his side had enjoyed an “extraordinary season.” With promotion achieved, the Dons have an exciting—but difficult—task ahead of them in making sure that that is the case next time around.