MK Dons won 4-0 away at Harrogate Town in their last game before Christmas and final away match of 2025.

Braces from Aaron Collins and Alex Gilbey did the job for Paul Warne’s side, as they secured a comprehensive victory in North Yorkshire.

Victory against the struggling hosts saw MK Dons returning to winning ways after dropping points in their last 2 assignments. The Dons remain 5th, but are 3 points off the automatic promotion places ahead of a big pair of home games against fellow promotion chasers Swindon Town and Notts County.

The Dons had arrived on the back of a home draw against another promotion contender in Cambridge United, having suffered a blow in that game after Nathaniel Mendez-Laing suffered a hamstring injury that required surgery. Laurence Maguire also missed out having also suffered an injury last time out.

But against a Harrogate side without a league win since late September and sitting in the relegation zone, MK Dons began brightly, with Will Collar seeing one effort drift just wide and another hit the goal frame before ricocheting away off home keeper James Belshaw.

As fog rolled in over the ground, it was the Dons who scored the opening goal with a 15th minute strike. Callum Paterson intercepted a loose backpass before teeing up strike partner Collins, who lashed home for his first EFL goal since moving to MK Dons in the summer.

8 minutes later, Luke Offord would see a drive well stopped by Belshaw. From the resulting corner, Collins would grab his second of the day after he got a touch on Paterson’s header to divert it into the goal.

A purple patch for the Dons then got even better when they made it 3-0 just before the half-hour mark. Belshaw kept out Paterson’s initial header, but captain Gilbey followed up to lash home, in turn scoring for the first time since a brace against Crewe in mid-October.

Harrogate’s best chance for a goal back came after half-time, as Shawn McCoulsky saw a strike hit the crossbar with Craig MacGillivray in the away goal beaten.

With 15 minutes to go, Gilbey made it 4-0 with his second of the day, as he received Jon Mellish’s cross and rolled the strike into the bottom corner.

After registering a comfortable win, the Dons’ attentions now turn to a big double header at Stadium MK. Warne’s outfit have a Boxing Day clash with Swindon Town, who currently sit 2nd, before their final game of 2025 sees them host Notts County, who now sit 4th.

Bletchley Park has paid tribute to Ruth Bourne, who was an bombe operator and checker at the site in the Second World War who passed away earlier this week.

Bourne died at age 99, with news of her passing confirmed on Thursday (18/12). In her life, she worked on Bletchley Park projects during the war, working both at the site and at an outstation at Stanmore in North London.

She also worked as a tour guide at the Bletchley Park site decades later, as well as holding discussions about her work during the conflict. She was also awarded the prestigious military honour Legion d’honneur by France in 2018 in recognition of her military service.

The Bletchley Park Trust said, “It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Ruth Bourne.

“Ruth served in the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS) during World War Two and worked as a Bombe operator and checker at Eastcote and Stanmore, both outstations of Bletchley Park, from 1943 to 1945.

“Ruth’s contribution to the war effort, and to preserving Bletchley Park’s legacy, will never be forgotten.”

In a statement paying tribute, Iain Standen, CEO of Bletchley Park Trust, said, “The Trust was very sad to learn of Ruth’s death. Once the veil of secrecy had been lifted, she was passionate about sharing the story of the work that she and her colleagues had undertaken. For many years, she generously gave her time as a tour guide, helping visitors understand the human stories behind the codebreaking work. She will be greatly missed by everyone who knew her, and remembered with immense gratitude and affection.”

Northampton Town won their last match before Christmas and last home game of 2025 as they beat AFC Wimbledon 3-1 at Sixfields.

The game had been level at half-time after Marcus Browne cancelled out Conor McCarthy’s opener. But two goals in nine second half minutes from Cameron McGeehan won the day for the Cobblers, who took the three points.

A victory saw Kevin Nolan’s side leapfrog their guests in the third tier table. The win was enough to mean that they are now up to 27 points, sitting 5 points from each of the play-offs and relegation zone ahead of the rest of League One playing on Saturday.

Seeking a return to winning ways after losing to local rivals Peterborough last time out, Northampton made a flying start when they took the lead inside ten minutes. They had already come close when McGeehan headed over, but in the tenth minute, Northampton struck when McCarthy headed in Dean Campbell’s corner.

AFC Wimbledon would equalise six minutes later, however. The hosts couldn’t clear their lines fully and after Ross Fitzsimons made a double save to keep out Alistair Smith and then Browne, the ball fell for Browne to pop the ball into the back of the net.

Ethan Wheatley would see a drive go wide via a deflection before AFC Wimbledon came close to completing a comeback when Fitzsimons denied Omar Bugiel and Smith’s rebound clipped the bar on its way over the top.

The game would duly be level at the break, but Northampton retook the lead five minutes after the break. From a long free-kick into the box, a slight touch from Wheatley set the ball up for McGeehan to touch the ball past away keeper Nathan Bishop. AFC Wimbledon felt Wheatley was offside, but the calls fell on deaf ears as the goal was given.

Having got their advantage back, Northampton duly extended it nine minutes later. In a similar manner to their second goal, a long free-kick was flicked on in the box, this time by McCarthy. That released McGeehan, who duly finished for his second of the night.

Fitzsimons was called into action to make a late save to deny Browne, but the job was done for the Cobblers as they picked up three points in their final home game of the year.

Northampton wrap up their 2025 schedule with two away matches, with the Cobblers visiting Burton Albion on Boxing Day before heading to Huddersfield in their last game of the year.

Luton Town were beaten 3-2 away at Reading despite a comeback that saw them wipe out a two goal deficit.

The Hatters had been 2-0 down in Berkshire to goals by Lewis Wing and Jack Marriott, but goals by Jordan Clark and Nigel Lonwijk saw Luton come back to equalise.

Within two minutes of equalising, however, Luton fell behind again as Reading retook the lead through Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan.

There was no way back for the Hatters this time, who suffered a first defeat in 5 League One outings.

Luton had arrived in Berkshire for a match brought forward to enable a live TV broadcast chasing a response, as although they were unbeaten in their preceding 4 games, they had also registered 3 draws in a row, including one against bottom side Port Vale last time out.

But it was a bad start for the visitors, as Reading opened the scoring inside 8 minutes. Daniel Kyerewaa went down in the box under a challenge from Luton keeper Josh Keeley, and from the consequent penalty, Wing beat Keeley to make it 1-0 to the Royals.

The next phase of the game saw the visitors rally, with home keeper Joel Pereira having to stop a corner bouncing in off Wing, before the Reading goalie also intervened to save a strike from Nahki Wells.

Pereira would then be involved again to stop Cohen Bramall’s strike, but there was a disappointment for Luton as Kal Naismith was taken off injured.

Reading doubled their lead 7 minutes into the second half. Marriott, who once played for Luton, grabbed the goal for the Royals as the striker collected a pass to feet and lashed a strike from the edge of the box into the bottom corner.

Six minutes later, Luton would halve the deficit. Wing’s attempt to clear substitute Shayden Morris’ cross ended up setting the ball up for Clark, who drilled a shot into the back of the net and made it 2-1.

Luton would then duly equalise with 76 minutes on the clock. The ball fell to wing-back Lonwijk, who saw a low strike fly into the bottom corner to bring the visitors back on level terms.

Parity would only last for 2 minutes, however. Derrick Williams’ through pass was picked up by sub Ehibhatiomhan, who was initially forced wide but was able to drill a strike past Keeley to put Reading back in front.

The visitors pushed for an equaliser and their best chance came in the fifth minute of seven added on, as George Saville saw a drive bounce just wide.

But there was no salvation for the visitors, who slid to defeat in their last game before Christmas.

Luton are next in action on Boxing Day, when they welcome Wycombe Wanderers to Kenilworth Road.