Derby County came from a goal down to win 3-1 at MK Dons in their return to Sky Bet League One action on Saturday afternoon.
Louie Barry had put the hosts in front but goals from Haydon Roberts and James Collins turned things around before the hour mark.
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing put the icing on the cake with a great strike with 10 minutes to go and ensured the three points came back to Derbyshire.
The game started in rapid fashion with the home side having a golden opportunity to take the lead within the opening 60 seconds. Will Grigg was played through on goal by Aston Villa loanee Louie Barry but Joe Wildsmith got down well to deny the striker’s effort.
Things soon settled down though and it took until after 20 minutes for either side to next threaten but this time it was the Rams. A short corner between Conor Hourihane and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing led to the former whipping a delicious ball into the box which Lewis Dobbin headed home but the linesman’s flag was up instantly and cut short the celebrations of the 6,500 strong travelling fans.
Up the other end and former Derby County man Bradley Johnson was denied by a superb Wildsmith save following a contentious free-kick from the left. His header looked destined for the bottom corner but the 26-year-old got down brilliantly to push it around the post for a corner.
There were half-appeals for a penalty for the Rams when Mendez-Laing went down in the box before the break but the referee adjudged his fall a dive and handed the winger a yellow card for his troubles.
All the action from the half came in the final five minutes. The hosts initially took the lead through Barry. A rapid counter-attack saw the young forward left in acres of space and he kept his cool before rounding Wildsmith and firing home.
The Rams hit back instantly though and were able to level things up just a minute later. Haydon Roberts rose highest to head home Hourihane’s corner and send the teams into the break on level terms.
Paul Warne’s men started the second-half how they ended the first and that was well on top. Hourihane’s set-pieces were causing the Dons all sorts of problems and this time his corner wasn’t dealt with, pin-ball ensued before Roberts’ eventual effort was cleared off the line and away from danger.
The pressure didn’t fade though and the Rams took a well deserved lead on 53. Yet another corner wasn’t dealt with by the home side and Collins was in the right place to volley home and send the away fans into ecstasy.
Grigg had a chance to level things up when the ball found its way kindly to him inside the box but Craig Forsyth was there to throw his body on the line with a crucial last-ditch block.
Mendez-Laing made sure the three points would be coming back to Derbyshire with 10 minutes to go. Max Bird found him down the right with a sublime reverse-pass and the winger took a touch before firing brilliantly across Cunning and into the bottom corner.
MK Dons: Cunning (GK), Harvie (62’ Watson), Lewington (C), O'Hora, McEachran, Johnson, Barry (45’ Eisa), Grigg (84' Dennis), Jules, Holland (84' Burns), Lawrence
Substitutes not used: Ravizolli (GK), Tucker, Devoy
Derby County: Wildsmith (GK), Forsyth, Hourihane (90' Stearman), Bird (C), Collins (75' McGoldrick), Mendez-Laing (88' Thompson), Smith, Roberts, Sibley, Dobbin (75' Osula), Rooney
Substitutes not used: Loach (GK), Aghatise, Oduroh
Derby County return to Pride Park on Tuesday night when they take on National League side Torquay United in an FA Cup replay (7:45pm kick-off).
