An under performing Gillingham saw their play-off hopes hit hard at Priestfield on Thursday night.
With Easter looming large on the horizon, The Gills looked to put Saturday’s defeat at Bradford City behind them, but came away with nothing from the clash against the League One strugglers.
Without the services of skipper Lee Martin, Callum Reilly and striker Josh Parker, manager Steve Lovell went in with a 4-4-1-1 formation, handing Navid Nasseri his first start behind Conor Wilkinson up top.
Bradley Garmston was operating on the left hand side of midfield, whilst Scott Wagstaff was to enjoy a fruitful spell down the right flank.
The opening twenty minutes of the game won’t live long in the memory as both sides struggled to get on top.
It was the visitors that took the lead on 33 minutes when Kieran Agard played the ball into the path of Chuks Aneke, who seemingly handled the ball and then slotted into the bottom corner of the net beyond the incoming Tomas Holy.
However, the Gills drew level four minutes before the break as a poorly-cleared corner was recycled and floated at the back post where Navid Nasseri was on hand to stoop and head home.
The hosts stepped up a gear in the second half and appeared the more likely to grab a winner but were caught out just five minutes from time.
Ed Upson held off two Gillingham players before threading a weighted pass into the path of George Williams, who held off Connor Ogilvie and successfully drilled past Holy.
The result sees Dan Micciche’s side climb up to 20th place in the table, while Steve Lovell’s charges remain 13th in the standings.
Gillingham now head to Southend United on Easter Monday desperate to get something from the local derby.
With just eight games left to play this season and sitting eight points outside the play-off places, surely attention must be turning towards next season already.
Gillingham line up: Holy; O’Neill, Ogilvie, Ehmer, Zakuani; Hessenthaler, Byrne; Wagstaff (Eaves 70), Nasseri (Nugent 90), Garmston; Wilkinson.
Subs not used: Hadler, Lacey, Moussa, Nash, List.
Goal: Nasseri (41).
Booked: Wagstaff (35), Ehmer (80), O’Neill (94).
MK Dons line up: Nicholls; Ward, Lewington, Wootton; Upson, Cisse, Muirhead (Ebanks-Landell 74), Williams; Aneke, Pawlett (Brittain 53), Agard (Thomas-Asante 77).
Subs not used: Sietsma, Reo-Coker, Golbourne, Ugbo.
Goals: Aneke (34), Williams (85).
Booked: Pawlett (45+1), Brittain (65), Lewington (87), Aneke (91).
Referee: Mr John Busby
Assistants: Mr Matthew Lee & Mr Carl Fitch-Jackson
4th Official: Mr Michael D’Aguilar.
Attendance: 5,540 (443 MK Dons).