Missed chances key for Hutchings

The Saddlers went down 1-0 at stadium:mk on Saturday thanks to Jermaine Easter's strike.

But they had chances to take at least a point, with Darren Byfield the chief culprit as he missed two gilt-edged chances in the first half. The striker also hit the bar after the break.

Hutchings said: "If you don't take your chances you don't come away from these places with anything and that was the only thing missing.

"Normally Darren tucks them away, but it wasn't to be and right at the death Sam Parkin put a header over.

"I expected Darren to score, especially in the first half when we had a great move with Troy Deeney which bobbled up and he hit it wide. But I'm sure if he keeps getting into those positions he'll take the chances.

"We looked a threat going forward and we put them under pressure but it wasn't to be our day. I thought the boys showed good commitment and I was pleased with the effort they put in, which was first class."

Goalkeeper Rene Gilmartin was rarely troubled in goal, while opposite number Willy Gueret was also a virtual spectator in a dull second period and Hutchings admitted there was deadlock.

He said: "It was a little bit of a stalemate, they had decent possession in midfield but it was one of those games and we cancelled each other out in the second half. Chances were few and far between.

"It's disappointing to come away, after a good performance in the first half, with nothing."

Steve Jones was handed his first start since August but was replaced by Peter Till as the Saddlers chased an equaliser.

Hutchings was pleased with the performance of his replacements.

He said: "We tried to change it round a little bit with fresh legs and sometimes it works for you, but sometimes it doesn't. I was pleased with Steve's contribution, 'Tilly' went on and contributed well, so did Sam.

"Clayton went off and Manny came on which disrupted us a bit, but we had chances and didn't take them."

Dons manager Paul Ince admitted his team had to grind out the result and were far from at their best.

He said: "We can play better, we know that, and we didn't really get going in the first 30 minutes. But sometimes it can't always be what I want, sometimes you have to look at the circumstances and say it was a fantastic win."

But the former Blackburn boss praised his team for overcoming their injury and selection problems, after losing captain Dean Lewington and David McCracken to injury in the first half.

Ince said: "It wasn't a vintage performance, but you're not going to get that all the time. We were a bit disorganised when we lost the skipper and 'Cracks.'

"Saying that, Jermaine Easter's been out for three weeks, Aaron Wilbraham's not had a pre-season and Jason Puncheon has been out for three games."