City's Sunday outing in Milton Keynes turned out to be a disappointing one as they slipped to a 4-0 defeat to the Coca-Cola League 2 leaders at stadium:mk.

MK Dons took the lead seconds before the break and just after Ollie Ryan missed a great chance to edge the Imps in front. Less than a minute after Ryan allowed home 'keper Willy Gueret to smother the ball after he went through one-on-one, Leon Knight cut inside from the left before smashing the ball into the roof of the net from just inside the box.

Midway through the second half the home side added a second when a counter-attack down the City right saw Alan Navarro play in Lloyd Dyer to fire past Main acres of space to his left. Dyer did the rest as, after he brought the ball under control, he proceeded to drill the ball under the body of Marriott.

Two more goals within a four minute period put the result beyond doubt; Aaron Wilbraham sweeping home a cross from substitute Mark Wright and Knight adding a second after he latched on to a long ball over the top despite looking suspiciously offside.

Match report by John Vickers at stadium:mk:

Manager John Schofield made two changes to the side that lost 5-2 to Hartlepool United in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for this Coca-Cola League 2 encounter against Milton Keynes Dons at the recently opened stadium:mk with Nat Brown and Dany N'Guessan coming in for Paul Green and Owain Warlow. Green and Warlow were named on an attack-minded bench along with Louis Dodds, Jamie Forrester and Steve Torpey.

Whilst the Imps were without a win in seven League outings, their hosts went into the game on the back of six straight victories which saw them top the table going into this game, which was being beamed live on Sky Sports.

Play got underway with the home side kicking off but it was City who were first on the attack with Dany N'Guessan forcing a corner off ex-Imp Jude Stirling but Lee Frecklington's deep delivery to the back post was unable to be kept in play by Ollie Ryan.

Things hotted up in the fourth minute when Jamie Hand slid in late on his man and referee Rob Shoebridge, under pressure from the home crowd and players who were quick to vent their anger, brandished an early yellow card for the City midfielder.

Lloyd Dyer then won a corner for the hosts and when Dean Lewington played the ball in it was headed well over by Aaron Wilbraham. Alan Navarro then headed a cross a foot wide as the Dons pressed again.

City replied with Hamza Bencherif trying his luck from a good 40 yards with his low effort skidding just wide of the post with Dons 'keeper Willy Gueret beaten whilst a 20-yard blast from Hand clipped the side netting after he was played in by Dany N'Guessan.

At the other end the Dons won their second and third corners of the game either side of the 14 minute mark but City defended soundly and cleared their lines on both occasions.

A shockingly late challenge by Drissa Diallo on N'Guessan saw the home defender somehow escape a caution but referee Shoebridge made up for this mistake when Stirling saw yellow after scything down N'Guessan shortly afterwards. The resultant free-kick saw Mark Stallard win a corner which was well claimed by Gueret.

The Dons' replied with Wilbraham escaping the offside flag before he was denied by a great saving challenge by Nat Brown whilst a brilliant save from Marriott saw him spread himself well to deny Leon Knight who had somehow managed to get the wrong side of the City back-line to go one-on-one with the City number one.

Dyer then outstripped Amoo for pace down the home left before seeing his low centre fizz a foot in front of Wilbraham's boot. Wilbraham then volleyed over after the flag again stayed down despite the home man on the left looking to appear a good feet the wrong side of the Imps' defensive line.

City were on the defensive again in the 33rd minute as the hosts won their fifth corner of the game whilst at the other end Ryan had an effort blocked on the edge of the box after he was played in by Frecklingotn.

Scott Kerr was them dumped to the deck by Navarro, giving City a free-kick in a good position on their right but the chance was wasted and when the Dons replied Amoo did well to head a Dyer cross-cum-shot out for a corner.

Ryan had another good chance to open his account at first team level but, after Stallard flicked on a ball down the middle, the former Scholar's first touch took the ball too close to Gueret and the Dons' 'keeper was able to smother his eventual attempt at goal.

City were made to pay for this missed opportunity as, just before the 45 minutes were up, the home side edged themselves in front. The goal came after Leon Knight received the ball on the left before he ran at Amoo, cut inside and powered a right-footed shot into the roof of the net.

HT: MK DONS 1 IMPS 0

No changes were made during the break so the same personnel emerged from the tunnel for the beginning of the second period. A tactical change from City, though, saw Dany N'Guessan switch to the right with Lee Frecklington going on the left.

it was a relatively quiet opening to the second half with play centred mainly in the middle third but had a ball forward from Hand to N'Guessan not skidded off the surface then the big Frenchman could well have been in on goal.

Eight minutes after the restart Stallard, who seemed to take a knock to his thigh during the latter part of the first half, drew a foul from Lewington but Kerr's delivery from the set-piece was easily cleared by Swailes.

A double change for City came in the 58th minute with Steve Torpey and Owain Warlow replacing Mark Stallard and Ollie Ryan. The switch saw Torpey and N'Guessan go up front whilst Warlow went into his natural left wing role, allowing Frecklington to move back on the right.

A fierce drive from Hand warmed the hands of Gueret just after the hour mark after he was set up by N'Guessan whilst the home side made a change of their own in the 64th minute as Jude Stirling was withdrawn in place of Mark Wright.

City's best passage of play came along just after the midway point in the second half as some intricate passing ended with N'Guessan seeing his goalbound drive deflected behind by Gueret but any hope of an equaliser from the corner went begging as Frecklington's low delivery was easily intercepted.

Shortly afterwards, City suffered a body blow as the Dons doubled their advantage against the run of play. A counter-attack down the City right ended up with Alan Navarro receiving possession. He subsequently looked up and found Lloyd Dyer in acres of space to his left. Dyer did the rest as, after he brought the ball under control, he proceeded to drill the ball under the body of Marriott.

Four minutes after this setback Jamie Forrester was thrown on for Jamie Hand as manager John Schofield went for broke in a bid to get back into the game.

Shortly after this switch Knight went down in the box under Nat Brown's backtracking challenge but referee Shoebridge was on the spot to wave play on; the Derbyshire official indicating that Brown had won the ball must to the annoyance of the vociferous home support.

The hosts pressed again in the 78th minute though and duly made it 3-0 when substitute Wright swung the ball into the danger area for Aaron Wilbraham to swivel and connect. He gave Marriott no chance from a powerful first time drive.

Four minutes later number four arrived when a long ball over the top found Knight, who looked suspiciously offside. He took advantage by drawing Marriott from his line before curling the ball past his fingertips for his second of the game.

City came close to a consolation when a neatly-worked free-kick routine saw ended with Frecklington seeing his powerful drive tipped over by Gueret. Frecklington required treatment after being clattered as he struck the ball but was able to return shortly afterwards.

A cynical challenge on Warlow by home skipper Keith Andrews saw some more lenient officiating by Mr Shoebridge as he kept his cards in his pocket again. This came just before the three minutes of added time which was indicated by Fourth Official Dean Whitestone came and went.

FT: MK DONS 4 IMPS 0

MATCH FACTS

LINCOLN CITY
1 Alan MARRIOTT
14 Ryan AMOO
5 Lee BEEVERS
25 Hamza BENCHERIF
6 Nat BROWN
7 Lee FRECKLINGTON
11 Scott KERR
26 Jamie HAND
17 Dany N'GUESSAN
9 Mark STALLARD
18 Ollie RYAN

subs
10 Steve TORPEY (for STALLARD 58)
20 Owain WARLOW (for RYAN 58)
8 Jamie FORRESTER (for HAND 74)
2 Paul GREEN
19 Louis DODDS

BOOKING: HAND (4)

MILTON KEYNES DONS
12 Willy GUERET
2 Jude STIRLING
3 Dean LEWINGTON
4 Keith ANDREWS
5 Drissa DIALLO
6 Sean O'HANLON
9 Leon KNIGHT
11 Lloyd DYER
16 Aaron WILBRAHAM
20 Alan NAVARRO
25 Danny SWAILES

subs
14 Mark WRIGHT (for STIRLING 64)
22 Bally SMART (for LEWINGTON 80)
23 Jemal JOHNSON (for WILBRAHAM 87)
10 Colin CAMERON
29 Nathan ABBEY

GOALS: KNIGHT (45, 82), DYER (70), WILBRAHAM (78)

BOOKING: STIRLING (18)

REFEREE: Rob Shoebridge (Derbyshire)
ASSISTANTS: Phil Gibbs & Graham Scott
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Dean Whitestone

ATTENDANCE: 13,037 (403 City supporters)