Walsall 1 MK Dons 4 - Report and pictures

[gallery] Walsall ended the 2016/17 season in hugely disappointing fashion as they thrashed by MK Dons at the Banks's Stadium.

Analysis

Goals from Robbie Muirhead, Ben Reeves, Stuart O'Keefe and Harvey Barnes saw visitors run out 4-1 winners with Erhun Oztumer grabbing a late consolation for the Saddlers.

Both teams entered the game knowing the victor would end the campaign in the top half of League One.

But it was Robbie Neilson's men who ran out clear and deserved winners on a hugely disappointing afternoon for Jon Whitney's side.

In naming his starting line-up, Whitney made four changes from to team that slipped to defeat against Port Vale on Tuesday.

With the boss eager to secure a top-half finish, top scorer Erhun Oztumer came back into the starting line-up along with Eoghan O'Connell and Andreas Makris.

There was also a full-debut for 16-year-old striker Mitch Candlin as the Saddlers lined up in a 3-4-1-2 formation.

MK Dons lined up in a 4-3-3 system with Robbie Muirhead, Ben Reeves and Harvey Barnes up front.

Both teams entered the clash knowing the winner would end the 2016/17 campaigning sitting in the top half of the table.

But after a bright and entertaining opening, it was the visitors who managed to take an early lead after hitting the Saddlers with a swift counter-attack.

With O'Connell out of a position, a brilliant Harvey Barnes ball split Walsall's defence. And that allowed Muirhead to race into the box and emphatically fire past Craig MacGillivray from 12-yards.

Buoyed the Dons continued to press with Murihead close to grabbing a second when his sharp, low drive was well stopped by MacGillivray.

The youth in Walsall's team was beginning to show with Whitney's men struggling against a more physical Dons side.

But they came a whisker away from getting back on terms as the clock ticked towards the half-hour mark after forcing a free-kick wide on the left.

George Dobson stood over the resultant set-piece and whipped in a teasing ball which was met by O'Connell at the back post.

The Celtic loanee then nodded the delivery back into the danger area where Kory Roberts powered a header at goal only to see him effort brilliantly tipped over by Lee Nicholls.

Just minutes later though Neilson's side had doubled their advantage – Reeves picking up the ball 25-yards from goal and unleashing a stunning and unstoppable strike that flew into the top corner.

The visitors were now well on top and they came close to making it three when Barnes raced into the box.

A combination of James O'Connor and Kory Roberts ensured the forward's strike was blocked but the loose ball fell to an unmarked Ed Upson who side-footed wide from the edge of the box.

Walsall looked to pull a goal back just before half-time with Oztumer firing wide from 25-yards.

But referee Mark Brown's whistle followed seconds later, with the Dons making their way off at the breaking deserving of their lead.

Having watched his side be outmuscled for 45-minutes, Whitney made a double change at the break with Florent Cuvelier and Kieron Morris replacing Roberts and Candlin.

Now in a 4-2-3-1 formation, the changes proved positive with the Saddlers enjoying a long spell of possession before Morris fired wide from the edge of the box.

MK Dons hit back with Stuart O'Keefe's strike from 12-yards well blocked by Joe Edwards before George Baldock fired straight at MacGillivray from distance.

The game was now proving much more even though with Morris then seeing another low drive well held by Nicholls.

But in the 70^th minute the Dons put the game to bed once and for all – albeit in fortuitous circumstances.

Ben Tilney unleashed a strike from 25-yards with the ball then taking a wicked deflection of O'Keefe to leave MacGillivray with no chance.

Walsall pulled a goal back with five minutes remaining – Oztumer unleashing a thunderous low drive from 25-yards which whistled past Nicholls.

But to compound the Saddlers misery, they conceded a fourth just seconds later when Barnes entered the box and evaded a number of challenges before firing in to seal an emphatic win.