REPORT | ARGYLE 3 MILTON KEYNES DONS 1
Argyle 3
Wilson 4, Ennis 37, Whittaker 53
Milton Keynes Dons 1
Holland 19
Argyle welcomed 2023 with a sizzling attacking display to move seven points clear at the top of Sky Bet League One.
Morgan Whittaker found the first of two assists with a free-kick for James Wilson to open his Argyle account on four minutes. Nathan Holland levelled for MK Dons before a fabulous Whittaker pass teed up Niall Ennis to score on 37 minutes.
Whittaker swapped his provider role for a scoring contribution early in the second period, finishing in style to confirm yet another terrific victory on home soil.
Argyle manager Steven Schumacher made three changes to the side that battled past Wycombe Wanderers on Thursday evening, with Ennis, Joe Edwards and Bali Mumba replacing Sam Cosgrove, Ryan Hardie and Macaulay Gillesphey.
The ideal start was provided by a delicious free-kick from Whittaker and Wilson timed his run perfectly to flick the ball past Jamie Cumming, and a first ever goal in Green for the powerful defender.
Argyle could have been out of sight in the opening 15 minutes, as Ennis burst beyond this man and beat Cumming from a tight angle, but the shot just grazed the outside of the post, with over 15,000 boisterous Pilgrims loving their New Year’s Day outing.
Danny Mayor took his turn with a lovely jink inside before firing narrowly wide. The Dons responded with a great chance for Mo Eisa, who found space in behind the Argyle defence but was denied by the legs of Mike Cooper.
Unfortunately, Argyle’s number one had no chance on 19 minutes, Holland pouncing on a rebound to lash the ball into the corner. The Dons then had claims for a penalty waved away after a Nigel Lonwijk challenge on Louie Barry.
The Greens regrouped with a delightful move involving Wilson, Adam Randell, Whittaker and Mayor creating space for Bali Mumba to fire straight at a relieved Cumming.
The lead was restored from the next major attack. Jordan Houghton clipped a glorious ball over the visiting defence for Whittaker, who slipped the ball into the path of Ennis for a drilled finish.
It proved to be the final contribution from Ennis, who was replaced by Hardie at the break, but it was all about Cooper early in the second half, racing off his line to thwart another dangerous run from Eisa.
Argyle extended their advantage on 53 minutes and it all started with a sumptuous pass from Randell to Hardie. The substitute guided the ball to Whittaker on the edge of the box and he took a touch before fizzing a great finish in off the post.
Barry steered a good chance wide for the Dons before Matt Butcher replaced Houghton on the hour. Jack Endacott was given his league debut in place of Mayor, as the January rain continued to pound the excellent playing surface at Home Park.
There was plenty of probing but not too much penetration from the Dons, as the game entered the final 15 minutes, and Argyle regained the ball with an incisive ball down the left from Whittaker and Endacott’s low cross very nearly found the near-post run of Hardie.
The frantic pace subsided in the closing stages, with Argyle content to hold their two-goal cushion and frustrate the Dons with a disciplined defensive shape, typified by a superbly executed tackle from Wilson to blunt one foray on the edge of the area.
More top defending from Joe Edwards snuffed out the Dons again in the final minute and Argyle, who introduced Cosgrove for Whittaker, comfortably played out stoppage time to seal three more points.
Argyle: 1 Mike Cooper; 4 Jordan Houghton (7 Matt Butcher 61), 5 James Wilson, 6 Dan Scarr, 8 Joe Edwards (capt), 10 Danny Mayor (42 Jack Endacott 70), 11 Niall Ennis (9 Ryan Hardie H-T), 17 Bali Mumba, 19 Morgan Whittaker (16 Sam Cosgrove 89), 20 Adam Randell, 21 Nigel Lonwijk. Substitutes (not used): 25 Callum Burton (gk), 2 James Bolton, 44 Will Jenkins Davies.
Booked:
Milton Keynes Dons: 1 Jamie Cumming; 4 Jack Tucker, 5 Warren O’Hora (capt), 8 Ethan Robson (7 Matt Smith 70), 10 Mo Eisa, 11 Nathan Holland (30 Matt Dennis 61), 14 Bradley Johnson, 19 Louie Barry (9 Will Grigg 86), 21 Daniel Harvie, 22 Henry Lawrence (2 Tennai Watson 86), 28 Dawson Devoy (6 Josh McEachran 70). Substitutes (not used): 23 Franco Ravizzioli (gk), 33 Zac Jules.
Booked: Tucker 49
Attendance: 15,421 (198 away)
Referee: Paul Howard