Cheltenham Town beat Milton Keynes Dons 3-0 on Saturday afternoon, a result that rarely looked in doubt once the home side established their grip in the opening half-hour.
Luke Offord headed Cheltenham in front on 19 minutes, and Curtis Nelson doubled the advantage shortly after the half-hour mark with a composed finish from a set piece. The Dons offered little in response, and when Callum Paterson added a third before the interval, the afternoon's business felt effectively settled.
MK Dons attempted to inject some urgency after the break, with substitutes Rushian Hepburn-Murphy and Jon Mellish introduced around the hour mark as Liam Manning sought a reaction. Marvin Ekpiteta was the only player to seriously threaten on that side, his 64th-minute effort drawing a save from the Cheltenham goalkeeper. Mellish picked up a booking late on, which summed up a frustrating afternoon for the visitors.
Cheltenham's second half was largely spent managing the game. A series of substitutions, including George Nurse, Harry Ashfield and Cole Deeming, kept the tempo in their favour without requiring anything more ambitious. Jack Sanders and Liam Kelly came on in the closing stages, and Nurse saw yellow in stoppage time, though by then the outcome was long decided.
The three points move Cheltenham up the table, while MK Dons will need a sharper showing if they are to improve their position in the weeks ahead.
Recap generated from the event timeline. Editorial team review by request. How we use AI.
