IT seems harsh to inflict criticism on Wanderers after such an improved performance – but the bare facts say they have now failed to score a goal in nine hours of football, a new club record.

In six games, straddling two seasons, Neil Lennon’s side have failed to hit the target, meaning previous records set both in 1990 and 1898 have now been surpassed.

Defeat felt especially harsh at MK Dons, where the team had done everything bar put the ball in the back of the net.

More than 800 travelling fans had sat up in the gods and roared their side on, and for them you feel especially sorry.

But while substitute Daniel Powell’s side ensured Wanderers would drop to second bottom in the embryonic Championship table, you would have to imagine their luck would turn soon on this evidence.

Wanderers had been heavily criticised for their sluggishness on Saturday against Middlesbrough and so it was little surprise to see them come flying out of the blocks.

The tempo will have been much more to the manager’s liking and the Whites were able to pepper the home penalty box with a string of early crosses and corners – 11 in the first half alone.

That elusive goal still eluded Lennon’s side, however, as despite some impressive build-up that ominous record of blanks continued to linger around.

Wanderers found much more width than they had managed against Burton or Middlesbrough, and the constant supply of crosses proved a menace to the home side.

Lawrie Wilson headed wide from Mark Davies’s cross early on and Prince-Desire Gouano did likewise from Liam Feeney’s corner.

All the while, the Dons were finding their range from distance – the dangerous Carl Baker having a couple of sighters and Ben Amos making one decent save from Cristian Benavente.

Looking infinitely more comfortable in a back four, new arrival Prince was back to his crowd-pleasing best at times, making some thunderous challenges on the edge of the box which had the travelling searching for rhyming couplets with Gourano.

At other times it appeared the youngster still had a lot to learn, not least when he coughed up possession to Baker needlessly on the edge of the box, only to be bailed out by keeper Amos.

Another youngster only too willing to take centre-stage was Zach Clough. One electric run mid-way through the half took him past four defenders, only for Darren Potter to get a superb challenge in as he wound up to shoot.

Clough went even closer with 10 minutes to go in the half. Feeney did well to win the ball back on the left, crossed deep towards Madine, who knocked the ball back into Clough’s path. Martin got fingertips on the striker’s half-volley to push it over the crossbar.

Dons were running scared of Madine, who clearly had the advantage in the air over Dons centre-halves Kyle McFazdean and Anthony Kay.

At the other end, however, Wanderers had a let off just before the interval when Baker’s shot grazed the bar.

Though the game remained finely poised, Lennon could hardly have complained at the way his side had responded from the weekend. And that positive approach continued into the second half.

Madine was desperately unlucky after he brought the ball down well on the edge of the box on his chest and wound up to shoot, only to be denied by a last-ditch tackle from Kay.

MK built up a little head of steam after the introduction of Daniel Powell from the bench, and were fairly soon celebrating the lead.

Baker – danger man all night – prowled just outside the penalty box and stuck an angled pass in for Powell. Wilson should have made the interception but lost his footing, allowing the winger to stroll in and place his shot under Amos and break the deadlock.

After Feeney had wasted an excellent chance on the left he was quickly replaced by Emile Heskey, Lennon hoping to add to the penalty box bulk that had caused problems for his opponents in the first half.

Support was unwavering from high in the top corner of the stadium but Wanderers just couldn’t find their range.

Clough sent a free-kick dipping just wide, then tipped Moxey’s cross over the top.

Still the breakthrough wouldn’t come.

Bletchley, the area in which this fine new stadium is built, is well known for its incredible codebreaking efforts during the Second World War. How apt, then, that Wanderers were struggling so badly to break the locks of the home defence?

Ten minutes before the end we got the worrying sight of Moxey – the only senior left-back at the club – limping off and being replaced by Stephen Dobbie.

But by then it was all caution to the wind.

Clough saw a volley parried away by Martin, who then got up to block Heskey’s attempt from the angle.

Powell nearly grabbed a fortuitous second as his shot pinballed off Dorian Dervite at the bitter end and into the side netting.

Wanderers devoted everything in search of a goal and nearly got caught again deep in injury time as McFazdean sliced a shot wide on the break.