IT was always going to be tough for Wrexham at stadium:mk, but they hardly helped themselves by conceding twice in the opening 10 minutes.
Things could hardly have got off to a worse start when in only the third minute Danny Swailes nipped in to squeeze home a free kick at the back post and as if that wasn't bad enough the Dons made it 2-0 shortly afterwards, Aaron Wilbraham firing in when given room to shoot.
Wrexham midfielder Neil Roberts won and converted a penalty soon after half time to give the travelling fans some hope, but even that was snatched away by Sean O'Hanlon's header at a 75th minute corner and wrapped up in injury time when Wilbraham grabbed his second of the night
The Reds never gave up trying but the mountain just proved to steep to conqueror as the MK Dons stand on the verge of promotion.
With players missing due to injury and Drewe Broughton unable to face his parent club, manager Brian Little opted for a similar 5-3-2 formation, with Gareth Evans playing right wing back for the injured Simon Spender and Stuart Nicholson taking over up front alongside Marc Williams.
The Reds fell behind after just three minutes to a Dean Lewington free kick from the right, which carried to the back post of the Wrexham goal where Danny Swailes brushed aside the challenge of Steve Evans to crash the ball home between Gavin Ward and his near post.
On 10 minutes, Jemal Johnson showed his paced down the left wing by dragging Phil Bolland to line before pulling his cross back into the path of Aaron Wilbraham, giving the former Hull and Stockport striker the time to pick his spot and direct his effort inside Ward's left hand post from about 12-yards out.
Wrexham's first response came on 13 minutes, when Chris Llewellyn's long-range effort had ex-Swansea keeper Willy Gueret moving to his left, but the shot passed a yard wide of the MK Dons' upright.
On the quarter hour, Llewellyn fed Neil Taylor on the left flank and the youngster accelerated away before delivering a cross that evaded both the home centre halves and carried to Stuart Nicholson, but the striker seemed a little surprised to receive the ball. So instead of getting off a first time effort from eight-yards, he needed a second touch and although he forced the keeper to grab at the ball, his angle was extremely acute.
Neil Roberts made his way into referee for dumping Dons captain Keith Andrews on the ground.
Wrexham should have pulled on goal back on 27 minutes, when Marc Williams' shot on the run was palmed away by Gueret, but with Nicholson lurking he jus couldn't sweep home the loose ball. A minute later Roberts worked himself some space on the edge of the home box, but his shot lacked direction and was heading closer to the corner flag rather than its target.
The Reds went close again on 35 minutes, when a Danny Williams free kick from 30-yards was blocked by the wall on the edge of its own box and as the ball rebounded up stepped Nicholson to thread a shot through the defenders and only inches wide of Gueret's left hand post.
With the home side having a comfortable looking lead, they appeared to have lifted their collective feet off the peddle, which was allowing Wrexham space to exploit and push forward, although not always to the best advantage.
HT
Wrexham opened the second half by taking the game to their hosts and on 49 minutes a Gareth Evans cross was brought down by Steve Evans just six-yards out, but as the centre half got in his shot a defending boot came across him to deflect it away for a corner.
On 58 minutes the game was opened up when Carl Regan felled Neil Roberts, who was into the box after picking up a Danny Williams pass. The referee had no option but to award the spot kick, although he refrained from yellow carding the former Macclesfield full back.
Up stepped Neil Roberts to hammer the penalty high into the roof of the MK Dons net and give the Dragons some hope.
This rather stung the Dons back into life and using Johnson down the left wing they won a series of corner, from one Ward had to tip over Mark Wright's 25-yarder as it seemed certain to find the top corner and then followed this up with a low save to deny Johnson as he dragged his left footed effort from 18-yards.
Regan's escape from that yellow at the penalty was compounded soon after as the same player was promptly booked when flattening Roberts once again, this time on the halfway line!
Time for change on 72 minutes as Matty Done was brought on for Nicholson.
A corner on 75 minutes was firmly headed home by Sean O'Hanlon, but the Wrexham defence seemed to have a case as they appealed for a free kick with white shirts climbing all over Steve Evans.
This saw another change to the Wrexham line-up with Michael Proctor coming on for Danny Williams.
Despite all Wrexham's effort, and there was plenty of that, they conceded a fourth goal to the last kick of the game as Aaron Wilbraham ran into space on the edge of the box and neatly sidestepped Ward before side footing into an empty net.
It was another night of little reward for the Reds, although not many of us would have expected much more against Paul Ince's table toppers - now we have to get a result at the New Meadow on Sunday.
MK Dons: Willy Gueret, Carl Regan (Jude Stirling 76) , Danny Swailes, Sean O'Hanlon, Dean Lewington, Lloyd Dyer (Kevin Gallen 85), Alan Navarro, Keith Andrews, Mark Wright, Aaron Wilbraham, Jemal Johnson (John Miles 67).
Subs: Nathan Abbey, Jordan Hadfield.
Wrexham: Gavin Ward, Gareth Evans, Steve Evans, Phil Bolland, Richard Hope, Neil Taylor, Danny Williams (Michael Proctor 76), Neil Roberts, Chris Llewellyn, Stuart Nicholson (Matt Done 72), Marc Williams.
Subs: Paul Hall, Sam Aiston, Jeff Whitley.
Referee: Danny McDermid (London)
Attendance: 8,646
Away: 200ish
Bookings -
MK Dons: Gueret (59, time wasting), Regan (60, foul), Miles (83, foul)
Wrexham: Roberts (26, foul)
