MK Dons 2-1 Cardiff: Josh Murphy hits late Dons winner

Josh Murphy hit a last-gasp winner as relegation-threatened MK Dons beat promotion-chasing Cardiff 2-1 at Stadium MK in the Sky Bet Championship on Boxing Day.

After a goalless first half, Nicky Maynard put the hosts in front four minutes after the break, the striker notching against the club he left at the end of last season.

With nine minutes left Cardiff were level as Craig Noone fired in his fourth of the season, but with just seconds remaining Murphy drilled home to earn the home side three points.

Sammy Ameobi was beating MK Dons left-back Dean Lewington with ease inside the opening five minutes before eventually matching one of his energetic bursts down the wing with the right cross into the box for Tony Watt, who could not quite meet an inviting lofted pass with a header on goal.

Kenwyne Jones was inches away from poking the visitors in front minutes later as he looked to get on the end of Scott Malone's left-wing cross, but Lewington's last-ditch lunge scooped the ball away.

It was Watt who went close himself in the 22nd minute after working his way around a number of defensive challenges inside the box. He then found himself in acres of space to fire a shot towards goal but he took one touch too many and ran the ball out of play.

Russell Slade's side wasted two more good chances just before the half hour as Anthony Pilkington ran through one-on-one with MK Dons goalkeeper David Martin who got down low to save before Malone had a drilled effort from inside the box well closed down.

Karl Robinson's side finally had an effort on goal five minutes before the break as Samir Carruthers saw his curling strike sail just over David Marshall's crossbar.

And despite having little in the way of attacking chances in the first half with no shots on target, it was Robinson's side who came out from the break on the front foot and took the lead through former Cardiff forward Maynard.

It was Carruthers who picked up the loose ball inside the visitors' defensive third before feeding the ball through to the feet of Maynard on the edge of the area and he drilled home his third goal of the season.

With nine minutes left, second-half substitute Noone fired the Bluebirds level with a looping strike from inside the Dons area that sailed over the arms of Martin and into the top corner.

But with time almost up, Murphy rode two challenges before bending home his fourth of the campaign to send the MK Dons faithful home happy.

MK Dons boss Karl Robinson:

"I thought in the first half we weren't great and we got picked off quite easy, but I think sometimes we have that kind of negativity because we've had two tough games in quick succession - so that has a physiological implication for us on the game."

"But in the second half I thought we were sensational, our finishing was ruthless and I thought tactically we got everything right."

Cardiff boss Russell Slade:

"The game should have been killed off in the first half and we really didn't punish them enough - so that's a real frustration for me as a manager.

"We got back into the game and looked in control once more after we scored but we just couldn't hold on to the ball."