MK Dons were beaten 1-0 at home by Colchester United as their former midfielder Jack Payne scored the game’s only goal.

Just when it seemed like a game of few chances might be set to end without a goal, the referee awarded Colchester a penalty that Payne converted with 3 minutes to go, with a bad end to the day for the Dons compounded when Callum Hendry was sent off.

The defeat continued a miserable 2025 for the Dons, who have won just two games in the New Year and have seen their hopes of promotion all-but disappear. With 13 games of the season remaining, the Dons find themselves 17th in the League Two table, sitting 16 points off the play-offs and 13 clear of the relegation zone.

After a winless February saw the Dons fall further down the League 2 table, Scott Lindsey’s team arrived hoping for a result to try and get some wins on the board. They would face a tricky test to start March off, however, in the form of a Colchester United side unbeaten in 8 outings, albeit a side who had drawn their last three outings.

This would be a task made more difficult with defensive injuries and absences, leading to defender Callum Tripp being thrown into the starting line-up days after being recalled from Gateshead, in a back three alongside fellow Dons academy graduate Charlie Waller.

On a bright afternoon, it was the visitors with the first chance of note, as Jamie McDonnell’s strike was blocked at a corner before the ball was prodded wide.

The first half largely played out in a manner where both sides struggled to nail the final pass, with each team’s attacking players getting into good positions only to get the ball to release the striker and create the chance wrong.

One moment saw Lyle Taylor try his luck from way out, with the former AFC Wimbledon striker’s effort narrowly bouncing wide.

Taylor would then see an attempt blocked by Waller, with Payne also seeing a strike bounce wide via a deflection.

Danilo Orsi came close for the Dons moments later, with the January signing seeing a first time strike just miss the target.

Similarly close was Alex Gilbey, who picked up the ball a few yards outside the box and finessed a decent try that beat Matt Macey only to bounce just wide.

Colchester nearly took the lead with the first major chance of the restart. John-Kymani Gordon, who was booked after a first half fracas with the also-cautioned Joe White, was able to pick the ball up in space on the left flank, cut inside and place a crisp strike that bounced off the post.

This was at least closer than an effort a few moments later from Ellis Iandolo, whose effort from a half-cleared corner ended up going out for a throw-in.

Substitute Oscar Thorn also missed the target for the away side, as the visitors continued to have positive moments.

But MK Dons almost found the breakthrough in style. Substitute Scott Hogan had few options but managed to charge through the Colchester half to the edge of the box before a fine streak beat Macey only to cannon off the post.

This came in a period where the Dons seemed to ask more questions of their opponents, with Travis Patterson forcing a good save out of Macey, albeit with an effort that wouldn’t have counted after the referee gave a foul.

It seemed as though the game was however set to drift to a 0-0 draw, with the day’s first shot on target not coming until the 85th minute, as Colchester sub Ken Aboh saw a low attempt kept out by Connal Trueman.

A few moments later, however, Colchester were given an even bigger chance when they awarded a penalty. Just after coming on as a substitute, Kane Thompson-Sommers had been shadowing Payne’s run into the box when he was deemed to have handled Payne’s attempt to play it through.

Payne, who scored 7 times for MK Dons last season on loan, was trusted with the spot-kick, and duly sent Trueman the wrong way to put Colchester ahead.

As if that late sucker punch wasn’t enough, MK Dons’ hopes of finding an equaliser during six minutes of stoppage time were hindered straight away when they were reduced to ten men. During stoppage time, substitute Hendry was shown a straight red card after catching Kane Vincent-Young with a high boot, earning an early ejection from the field.

That ended up taking the spark out of the Dons’ hopes of finding an equaliser, with the hosts now winless in six games.

MK Dons: Trueman – Tripp, Offord, Waller – Nemane (O’Reilly 79), White (Hendry 66), Kelly (Thompson-Sommers 83), Patterson – Crowley, Orsi (Hogan 66), Gilbey

Subs not used: MacGillivray, Tomlinson, Lemonheigh-Evans

Sent Off: Hendry

Booked: White, Gilbey

Colchester: Macey – Egbo (Vincent-Young 73), Kelleher, Flanagan, Iandolo – McDonnell – Anderson (Thorn 63), Gordon (Aboh 84) – Payne – Taylor (Read 73), Tovide (Simpson 63)

Subs not used: Smith, Hunt

Goal: Payne (pen 87)

Booked: Gordon, Simpson