MK Dons lost a third straight game after a 2-0 home defeat by Notts County.

Second half strikes by George Abbott and Dan Crowley decided the contest in the Magpies’ favour, as MK Dons missed out on a chance to leapfrog their guests in the League Two table.

Defeat means that the Dons have now been beaten for three games in a row after a previous run of six straight league wins. In a congested League Two table, the result is that MK Dons now find themselves in 11th place in the table, although they are four points off the play-offs with at least one game in hand on the teams above them.

Having suffered a disappointing reverse at home to Gillingham in their last game before conceding six in an eventful trip to Newport last time out, MK Dons had hopes of returning to winning ways at home to a Notts County side that had never won at Stadium MK.

Scott Lindsey’s selections for a cold and foggy Boxing Day bash were boosted by the return of Joe Tomlinson after injury, as part of a reshuffle that also saw Conor Lemonheigh-Evans and Tom Carroll recalled.

It was the Dons who created the first major chance of note, as Liam Kelly saw a low strike scuttle wide in the early stages.

Notts County were looking confident in possession in the early stages but the Dons were limiting their effectiveness in attacking areas, with their best chance seeing a hit from outside the box by David McGoldrick provide a straight-forward save for Tom McGill.

The visitors had been looking likelier to do something but MK Dons nearly found a way through when Alex Gilbey saw a snapshot just clear the top of the bar.

Notts County then nearly found an unorthodox route to goal, as a free-kick from a wide position by Nick Tsaurolla ended up striking the post, with the rebound prodded wide.

Laurence Maguire took a knock that would later force him off, but was initially able to continue and in first half stoppage time, the Dons defender had been able to get a shot in that just missed the target.

A low strike by Joe White was denied by Notts County goalkeeper Alex Bass just after the break, before the visitors had their best chance. Defensive hesitation saw a ball intercepted by McGoldrick, and he teed up the Magpies’ top scorer Alassana Jatta, but the striker was denied in a one-on-one by McGill.

Moments later, however, Notts County would open the deadlock. A passing move saw Notts County play their way into the box from their left flank, and a low pass by Crowley would set away defender Abbott, with the Spurs loanee seeing his shot take a deflection off a Dons defender that wrong-footed McGill and put the visitors in front.

A first time thump by Lewis Macari narrowly missed the target as Notts County nearly found a way through again a few moments later.

MK Dons then had a flurry of chances as they nearly equalised. Top scorer Gilbey saw a decent try denied by Bass, and the Notts County goalkeeper kept MK Dons out again when he stopped a Tomlinson strike from the resulting corner.

A low free-kick by White then nearly provided something for the Dons, with the Newcastle loanee’s shot deflected off a Notts County player in the wall and only just bouncing off target.

Just as the Dons seemed to be building up opportunities, however, they conceded a second goal. McGoldrick was able to lay the ball off for Crowley just outside the box, and the Notts County man created space for a shot before firing a low strike into the bottom corner.

Notts County had two great chances in quick succession for a third after that, as Crowley saw a chance from closer range than his goal denied by McGill before Jatta fired wide from Tsaroulla’s cross.

Bass saved a low effort from MK Dons sub and former Notts County man Aaron Nemane, then made an even better stop to keep out Gilbey.

But the Dons duly ran out of ideas for how to cut the deficit as Notts County got the job done, with MK Dons continuing a slow end to 2024. They face a quick turnaround to amend that when they welcome Crewe to Stadium MK on Sunday (29/12) in their final assignment of the year.

MK Dons: McGill – Offord, Lawrence, Maguire (Sherring 62) – Lemonheigh-Evans (Nemane 58), White, Carroll (Thompson-Sommers 72), Tomlinson (Harrison 72) – Kelly, Hogan, Gilbey

Subs not used: MacGillivray, Lewington, Hendry

Booked: Kelly, White

Notts County: Bass – Macari (Ness 74), Platt, Bedeau – Austin, Abbott, Palmer, Tsaroulla – Crowley (Hinchy 85) – Jatta (Brown 90), McGoldrick

Subs not used: Slocombe, Gordon, Martin, Cisse

Goal: Abbott (57), Crowley (71)

Booked: Austin, Palmer