Don And Dusted But Jay's So Proud

JAY Saunders praised his side’s high aspirations after Maidstone United threatened to cause an FA Cup upset against MK Dons.

- Harry Wilmin

Magnus Okuonghae got the National League team off to a perfect start against their League One opponents, as the defender gave the Stones an early lead.

Maidstone were hoping to secure a place in the third round for the first time since 1978, and for a while it seemed they would be able to reward the 1,541 travelling supporters.

But MK’s ruthless quality proved decisive in the second half as Aidan Nesbitt, Kieran Agard and Peter Pawlett all found the net to spare Robbie Neilson’s blushes after his side entered the half-time break to a chorus of jeers at Stadium MK.

“If you’d have told me we’d be where we are in the league and playing here in the second round of the FA Cup this time last season then I’d have bitten your hand off,” said Stones boss Saunders, who’s been in charge of the Kent outfit for almost seven years.