MK Dons’ first game in 16 days saw them record a 3-0 win over Chesterfield at Stadium MK.

The Dons made a flying start to their return to action with a Scott Hogan goal inside the opening 15 seconds of the match.

Chesterfield saw Darren Oldaker sent off for a pair of yellow cards, with the second booking quickly followed by Alex Gilbey making it 2-0.

Gilbey then grabbed a late second for himself and third for the Dons, allowing the home side to pick up a sixth straight win in League Two and move to a season-high of third in the League Two table.

Having seen their trip to Fleetwood postponed and then a free weekend for FA Cup action, the Dons were playing for the first time since playing Cheltenham in mid-November.

Making the trip to Stadium MK were Paul Cook’s Spireites, who had played twice since the Dons’ last game but arrived with several players absent through injury.

MK Dons had been hoping to make a fast start, but a reshuffled side truly flew out of the blocks with a goal virtually straight from kick off. The hosts worked the ball out to Joe Pritchard, who slung in a cross from deep on the left flank that Hogan was able to divert past Chesterfield keeper Max Thompson and put them in front.

Chesterfield had a half-chance when Ollie Banks saw a drive kept out by Tom McGill, before MK Dons came close to a second as Hogan fired over.

A decent array of chances then came, with McGill keep out Chesterfield’s Armando Dobra before Thompson saved Hogan’s low strike.

The visitors’ best chance for an equaliser came when a through-pass opened up space for Liam Mandeville, who charged through to face McGill one-on-one only for the keeper to make the stop.

Seconds after that, however, Chesterfield’s task became harder. Oldaker had already been booked for a foul on Joe White when dissent at not getting a free-kick saw him get booked again, and in the process, he was sent off.

MK Dons duly rubbed further salt in the away side’s wounds when they grabbed a second goal less than two minutes after the sending off. Space opened up for Aaron Nemane down the Dons’ right and although his cross missed Hogan, it landed nicely for Gilbey to pass a strike into the bottom corner.

Chesterfield had a few half-chances in the remainder of the first half but a better effort came just after the break. Kane Drummond, brought on as a half-time replacement for ex-Don Will Grigg, saw a snapshot fly across goal and just wide.

The hosts then put Chesterfield under further pressure, with Thompson making two stops in quick succession to thwart Gilbey and Hogan.

Hogan would again be denied with a header from a Nemane cross kept out by Thompson, with the scorer of the Dons’ first goal then again denied with a strike kept out by the keeper.

Having missed multiple chances, MK Dons nearly saw their opponents reduce the deficit. Substitute Ryan Colclough – another one-time Dons loanee – was able to get space on the edge of the box, and his low strike rebounded off the base of the post.

But moments later, MK Dons grabbed their third goal. A fine pass by sub Tom Carroll released Gilbey into space, and the Dons’ top scorer was able to advance before rolling a shot into the bottom corner.

Chesterfield struck the post again when Branden Horton’s effort hit the same post that Colclough had hit a few moments earlier.

MK Dons would however have the points sealed, although they came close to an unconventional fourth when first Thompson had to tip over Nemane’s cross and then Thompson had to clean up his own mistake after he’d initially struck a clearance against Gilbey and seen the ball trickle goalward.

While there would be a confrontation after the whistle after an incident between Callum Hendry and Tyrone Williams, when the dust settled, MK Dons were able to take the points and in the process continue building up their recent winning streak.

MK Dons: McGill – Offord, Maguire, Lawrence – Nemane (Leigh 90), Kelly (Thompson-Sommers 90), White, Pritchard (Hendry 58) – Wearne (Carroll 76), Hogan (Harrison 76), Gilbey

Subs not used: MacGillivray, Lewington

Goal: Hogan (1), Gilbey (25)

Booked: Wearne

Chesterfield: Thompson – Jessop (Grimes 27), Williams, Araujo (Horton 75), Gordon – Banks, Oldaker – Markanday (Berry 75), Mandeville, Dobra (Colclough 75) – Grigg (Drummond 45)

Subs not used: Boot, Sheckleford

Sent Off: Oldaker

Booked: Oldaker, Araujo, Gordon