Antony Evans’ second-half penalty enough as Bristol Rovers edge MK Dons

Antony Evans’ penalty earned a second-straight win for Bristol Rovers as they recorded a 1-0 League One victory at MK Dons that moved them up four places in League One.

The Pirates are now 15th in the table after stepping it up in the second half, but the Dons have now suffered three league defeats in a row and remain third-from-bottom.

Lewis Gibson volleyed the ball over from just outside the box for Rovers after Paul Coutts chipped a corner back towards him, but chances were few and far between in a poor first half.

It took 49 minutes for MK Dons to fashion any sort of chance, with Bradley Johnson’s header from Dan Harvie’s cross being comfortably saved by James Belshaw.

His opposite number Jamie Cumming then had to push Ryan Loft’s low effort around the post and he had to be at his best to tip Gibson’s header over.

The visitors eventually found the winner their second-half performance deserved with 14 minutes left when Evans fired home from the spot after Loft was pulled back.