Newport County beaten by MK Dons in last 32 of EFL Trophy

The League One side moved into the southern section quarter-finals after easing past the Exiles in Buckinghamshire to earn a spot in the last 16 and a £20,000 cash prize.

County trailed 1-0 at the break after Darragh Burns finished smartly for the hosts from a corner in the 27th minute.

Striker Matt Dennis doubled their advantage after reacting quickly to a blocked shot approaching the hour then Will Grigg made it 3-0 with a calm finish.

The Exiles were left to rue a pair of misses by Omar Bogle, one at 0-0 and the second at 1-0, and that meant a Jack Tucker own goal, created by West Ham loanee Thierry Nevers, was merely a consolation.

They will hope to fare better when locking horns with third tier opposition on Sunday when Derby County head to Rodney Parade in the FA Cup.

There won’t be too many tears at being knocked out of the Papa John’s Trophy but manager Graham Coughlan will be frustrated by the way that the goals were conceded after a miserly start to his reign.

County enjoyed some nice flashes, with Bournemouth midfielder Nathan Moriah-Welsh at the heart of most of the good stuff, yet were ultimately well beaten by a pretty ordinary side.

PRESS: Aaron Lewis working hard in defence for County (Image: Huw Evans Agency)

The Exiles earned a place in the knockout stages by beating Exeter and Southampton Under-21s either side of a defeat to Forest Green Rovers.

That meant they went on the road in the round of 32, drawing a Dons side struggling in League One.

Coughlan made five changes to the XI that beat Gillingham 2-0 but those that came in were established professionals rather than youngsters.

Nick Townsend got the nod in goal in his duel with Joe Day while club captain Matty Dolan was selected at the heart of a back three in place of in-form Priestley Farquharson, who was given a complete rest after being left out of the 18.

Adam Lewis came in at left wing-back, meaning Aaron Lewis shifted to the right, while midfielder Sam Bowen, a high-profile summer signing from Cardiff, got a first start since facing Forest Green in the competition on September 20.

Lewis Collins came in to provide pace up front alongside the power of top scorer Bogle.

The hosts, who made eight changes from their League One loss at Barnsley, created the first opening of the game but Townsend was up to the task when Conor Grant tried his luck from a tight angle down the right in the sixth minute.

The Dons had most of the ball in a low-key start yet it was County that went close to opening the scoring through Bogle.

MK played themselves into trouble from a goal-kick and Moriah-Welsh slipped in his striker, whose right-footed effort was saved at his near post by diving goalkeeper Jamie Cumming.

Scot Bennett stole the ball after 21 minutes and drove into the area but his cutback, after a cheeky nutmeg, failed to find an amber shirt.

The Dons had looked devoid of confidence yet they got their noses in front from a corner after 26 minutes when Bennett was outmuscled by Jack Tucker and Burns acrobatically finished over his shoulder from close range.

BRIGHT: Newport County midfielder Nathan Moriah-Welsh on the break (Image: Huw Evans Agency)

County looked to respond before the break with a Moriah-Welsh cutback after an impressive burst cleared.

Collins then had an effort from outside the area blocked and Adam Lewis fired well over from a cross by the forward.

County started the second half quickly and should have been level in the 47th minute after a cleared corner was recycled into the box but Bogle scuffed his shot well over from the penalty spot despite it being on his favoured left foot.

The Exiles, who were forced into a change when Adam Lewis was injured when making a challenge, paid the price for that miss approaching the hour.

Daniel Oyegoke broke towards goal and fired in a left-footed effort that was blocked and the ball fell kindly for Dennis, who slammed in as Townsend scrambled across goal after being wrong-footed.

The hosts could have swiftly gone 3-0 up only for Dennis to nod wide and sub Will Grigg was denied by the Exiles stopper.

Coughlan freshened up his forward line for the final quarter by bringing on Will Evans and Chanka Zimba yet it was a central defender that nearly got them back into it in the 74th minute, Declan Drysdale getting in at the far post from a Robbie Willmott free-kick only for Cumming to palm away.

That was followed by the moment of the match, certainly for those of an MK persuasion, when Ethan Robson played a perfect pass through to Grigg to race through and lift over Townsend to make it 3-0 in the 77th minute.

County did have the final say when Nevers forced an own goal but they were second best ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup clash with the Rams in front of the ITV cameras.

County: Townsend, Aaron Lewis, Drysdale, Dolan (captain), Demetriou (Bright 78), Adam Lewis (Willmott 57), Bennett (Nevers 78), Bowen, Moriah-Welsh, Collins (Evans 67), Bogle (Zimba 67).

Substitutes not used: Day, Waite.

Yellow: Demetriou MK Dons scorers: Burns, Dennis, Grigg.