Luke's Football blog

MK Dons come into this game with a lot to do, going 3-0 down in the first leg which no one would ever have predicted, but if they can get an early goal to put the pressure on Crawley, they could have a slight chance of taking something out of the tie. 

Crawley come into this game with so much momentum after a 3-0 win at home shocking most people as they thought they wouldn’t even make it to the playoffs, but now they are just ninety minutes from a Wembley place against Crewe.

MK Dons would’ve wanted the fast start, but it went the other way as Jay Williams pounced on a mistake and smashed it into the bottom corner, the start the home side didn’t want, and it was about to get even worse, as on the 30th minute it would be 2-0 to the away side as from another mistake from the home side Crawley’s talisman struck to give his side a 5-0 lead on aggregate.

MK Dons did get a goal before half-time, but it was surely just a consolation goal as the tie looked dead and buried for the home side and if it wasn’t already like that, it was now as early into the second half Orsi got his second of the game to put the tie within doubt and his side are a step closer to Wembley.

MK Dons would get a penalty to make sure they left it as a respectable score line, but Max Dean couldn’t get his second of the game from the penalty spot with a good save from the Crawley goalkeeper and things would not get better for the home as they would concede a fourth goal with substitute Jack Roles getting in on the act with smashing his shot into the bottom left corner.

Orsi would eventually get his hatrick in the final minutes of the game with a good goal from close range, capping off an amazing individual performance and taking his side to Wembley for the first time in their history, where they will face Crewe for promotion to League One.

MK Dons will feel embarrassed after a playoff game to forget losing 8-1 on aggregate over two legs to a team in 7th place, but that’s the magic of the playoffs if they can keep Mike Williamson, they could possibly go again and get promoted next season.

Crawley will play Crewe in the final in a tie that looks exciting as both sides were the underdogs coming into the playoffs and they both managed to defy the odds and make it to Wembley. It will be a close game and an exciting one for the neutrals.