MK Dons edge FA Cup thriller

Substitute Danny Green poached the decisive goal as MK Dons squeezed into round two with an exciting 4-3 victory at Port Vale.

The visitors almost took a seventh minute lead when Ben Reeves' fierce shot rattled the crossbar. But it was Vale who went ahead four minutes later through an own goal by Jordan Spence. Vale striker Ben Williamson missed his kick from Adam Yates' low cross and the ball struck Spence's shin before rolling into the bottom right-hand corner of Daid Martin's net. The goal did not alter the flow of the game, however, and an equaliser was overdue by the time Benik Afobe converted his 14th goal of the season in the 31st minute. Afobe sprinted clear from Mark Randall's pass and placed a shot inside Chris Neal's left-hand post. MK Dons went in front in the 40th minute when Carl Baker pounced on a loose ball to lash an effort low past Neal from 25 yards. And the goals continued to flow with a 44th minute leveller for Vale, Danny N'Guessan steering in following another Yates cross. MK Dons regained the advantage just before the hour mark as Williamson tripped Samir Carruthers in the area and Afobe sent Neal the wrong way from the spot. And what proved to be the winner arrived in the 81st minute when a mesmerising run by Afobe led to a low cross from the left and a far-post tap in for Green. Vale did pull a goal back three minutes later when Mark Marshall's shot came back off a post and was bundled in by N'Guessan, but the hosts could not force a late leveller.