MK Dons returned to winning ways as they recorded a 2-1 win over Shrewsbury Town in Shropshire.

First half goals by Scott Hogan and Will Collar won the day for Paul Warne’s side, who picked up a first win in 5 games in League Two.

Former Don Chuks Aneke got a goal back for the home side with 15 minutes of normal time remaining, but the visitors were able to keep the home side from equalising.

A win at Croud Meadow helped lift the Dons up the ranks in the developing League Two table. With ten games of the season complete, the Dons are 9th in the table.

They are 2 points behind Bristol Rovers in the final play-off position and 6 points behind next opponents Gillingham, who sit in the final automatic promotion place after their first defeat of the new campaign.

Further enforced changes had been made for the Dons after an injury-hit team suffered yet more absences, with Conor Lemonheigh-Evans injured and Luke Offord suspended. But a reshuffled Dons side would take the early advantage as they opened the scoring with just 3 minutes on the clock.

Hogan would grab his first goal of the season, with the experienced striker being first to Alex Gilbey’s flick-on at a long throw and the forward duly prodded the ball into the back of the net.

Each side had their moments in the first half, with Shrewsbury’s Ismael Kabia having a strike denied by Craig MacGillivray before Laurence Maguire had an effort repelled by home keeper Will Brook.

MK Dons duly grabbed a second goal with six minutes of the first half to go, as Collar turned in the rebound after Aaron Nemane’s shot from outside the box had been parried by Brook.

A low quality second half initially saw very few strikes created, but Shrewsbury would make it 2-1 with 76 minutes on the clock. Sam Clucas was able to touch the ball into the path of Aneke, who beat MacGillivray to get the home side on the scoreboard.

But MK Dons were able to keep Shrewsbury from finding an equaliser, in the process taking victory for the first time since beating Newport in late August.