The first meeting of the Championship season between two of the newly-promoted sides took place at stadiummk on Saturday as MK Dons hosted Preston North End.
MK started matchday two top of the table after a 4-1 win at Rotherham United last weekend, but are now down in mid-table after suffering a 1-0 defeat to a side they have never beaten in league competition.
Read how it all unfolded in our minute-by-minute updates below.
Afternoon folks! The feature 3pm kickoff in the Championship on the second weekend of the season is a game between two of the newly-promoted sides, MK Dons and Preston North End. Let's get straight down to business with the team news...
MK DONS XI: Martin; Spence, McFadzean, Kay, Lewington; Potter, Carruthers; Baker, Reeves, Bowditch; Gallagher
Subs: Cropper, Hodson, Walsh, Aguza, Jennings, Benavente, Church
Subs: Cropper, Hodson, Walsh, Aguza, Jennings, Benavente, Church
Karl Robinson is forced into one change from last week's impressive 4-1 win at Rotherham United. Rob Hall is injured, so Carl Baker, who has scored in both games so far this season, comes in.
PRESTON XI: Pickford; Wright, Huntington, Clarke, Cunningham; Humphrey, Welsh, Johnson, Gallagher; Garner, Keane
Subs: Kirkland, Woods, Davies, Kilkenny, Browne, Brownhill, Hugill
Subs: Kirkland, Woods, Davies, Kilkenny, Browne, Brownhill, Hugill
Like his opposite number, Simon Grayson is forced into one change. It comes on the right as Chris Humphrey replaces Marnick Vermijl, who has a "minor knock" according to the Preston Twitter page.
It's a landmark game for Dons captain Dean Lewington today:
PHOTO: Captain Dean Lewington will make his 500th career league appearance this afternoon... pic.twitter.com/B33Nlqx2Xu — MK Dons FC (@MKDonsFC) August 15, 2015
Preston are still without striker Jermaine Beckford, who scored a hat-trick at Wembley in the playoff final to help the Lilywhites back up to the Championship.
H2H: The duo have met eight times over the past four campaigns and Preston are yet to be defeated, albeit only winning two of the matches. The other six have been draws, with both Preston wins coming on the road.
Preston will be especially keen to win today as MK are the side that sneaked ahead of them on the final day of the last season to grab automatic promotion from League One. Preston were favourites to secure second spot, but a surprise away defeat at Colchester United saw them have to go through the playoffs.
PREDICTION: I'm expecting goals in this one and can't separate the two before kickoff, so am going for a 2-2 draw. Watch the video below for more of my thoughts:
Click here to see the latest Championship table. Birmingham are now top after they drew 2-2 with Burnley in today's lunchtime game, but MK will likely go back to first place if they win here.
Another reason I went for a draw in this match is because six of the last eight meetings between the two have finished as stalemates.
VIDEO: Warm-ups complete, nearly time for kick-off... #MKDvPNE pic.twitter.com/OhEWu55UKj
— MK Dons FC (@MKDonsFC) August 15, 2015
As we wait for kickoff, let's just remind you how both sides got on in midweek in the Capital One Cup first round - MK scored twice in injury time to squeeze past League Two side Leyton Orient, while Preston were comfortable 3-1 winners over Crewe Alexandra.
Both sides were given home ties in the second round, with MK at home to Cardiff City and Preston up against Watford at Deepdale.
KICKOFF! Preston, in their yellow and blue away kit, get us underway at stadiummk, which is hosting its first-ever Championship match.
An immediate stoppage as Lewington, on his 500th career league appearance remember, takes a whack to the face. He'll be fine to continue.
We have two Gallagher's in action today, Sam for MK and Paul for Preston. The latter has an excellent free-kick delivery and he almost sets up a chance for the visitors with a deep cross that Clarke can't quite divert goalwards.
CLOSE! Best chance of the early stages as Bowditch does well to find Sam Gallagher, who drags a left-footed effort wide of the target.
One thing the Dons did well last week against Rotherham was finish - they scored with all four of their shots on target at the New York Stadium.
MK's Carruthers picked up a head injury last week at Rotherham and is wearing a bandage to protect the blow today. He's just had to receive treatment after getting a bang.
Carruthers is back on as Cunningham loops over a deep cross that's aimed for Garner. It's a comfortable take for Dons keeper Martin as he plucks it out of the sky.
Garner bursts free on the counter for the visitors, but he can't find Gallagher with his cutback as the Dons defend it well after initially allowing Garner to get away.
MK win a free kick about 30 yards out and it's captain Lewington who has a go. He gets under the ball too much and Pickford watches it safely over the crossbar.
BOOKING! Cunningham into the book after a cynical foul on Spence, who was looking to start a counter-attack.
SAVE! Sunderland loanee Pickford keeps the scores level with an excellent save low to his right after Baker had got up well to meet Lewington's cross.
Baker has scored two in two so far this season and he's threatening to make it three in three as he tests Pickford with another shot from the edge of the box.
You have to say that MK have started the better here. They've had more of the ball (59%) and three shots (one on target) to Preston's one.
CLOSE! Preston go ever so close to the opening goal as Paul Gallagher releases Johnson with an excellent through-ball. Johnson's first touch is good and he shoots across goal. Martin is beaten, but so is the post and we remain level.
GOAL! MK DONS 0-1 PRESTON (PAUL GALLAGHER)
Preston silence stadiummk with a fine goal on the counter-attack. Garner had the ball out on the right and his incisive pass into the box found Gallagher, who danced past one challenge before slotting home from eight yards.
MK had certainly been the better side for the first 25 minutes and they try to hit straight back through Bowditch, whose 20-yard strike took a slight deflection before whizzing wide.
CLOSE! Johnson with a very similar chance to his one moments before the Preston goal. A lazy pass was picked up by Keane and he fed Johnson, whose low drive again just went wide of the left-hand post.
MK are now up to 65% possession, but it's Preston who are showing their clinical side as they have scored one goal from one shot on target.
OFF THE LINE! Reeves gets to the ball ahead of Pickford and prods the ball around the Preston keeper before rolling it towards goal. There wasn't much conviction on the shot, but it was still goalbound and needed Welsh to clear it.
By the way, if you're on Twitter and want goal updates from every game in the Championship, just follow @SMChampionship.
DISALLOWED! Clarke scores from a corner and thinks he's put Preston 2-0 up, but referee Andy Madley had blown his whistle for a foul in the box. Preston aren't happy but there was an infringement.
Sam Gallagher goes close to an equaliser for the hosts as he meets Reeves's cross and sees his header deflected over.
Paul Gallagher with a lazy pass, but again MK looked light at the back. Preston will have more chances on the counter, that's for sure.
One minute of added time at stadiummk. Grayson will be delighted if Preston go in ahead.
Paul Gallagher with a lazy pass, but again MK looked light at the back. Preston will have more chances on the counter, that's for sure.
HALF-TIME: MK DONS 0-1 PRESTON
Gallagher's cool finish sees Preston lead by one at the break:
PHOTOS: Gallagher puts PNE 1-0 up just before the half hour mark at stadium:mk. #PNElive pic.twitter.com/u0WguJLmvh — pnefc (@pnefc) August 15, 2015
Here are the other half-time scores from the Championship: Bristol City 2-2 Brentford, Derby 0-0 Charlton, Fulham 1-1 Brighton, Huddersfield 1-0 Blackburn, Ipswich 1-1 Wednesday, Boro 3-0 Bolton, Forest 1-1 Rotherham.
What that all means, if you look at the 'as it stands' table, is that no-one has a 100% record. Six teams are on four points.
If you're only just joining us and want a quick recap on the opening 45, click here for our half-time report.
You can't imagine that either manager will make any changes at half time. Robinson, especially, won't rush into any rash decisions as his side have created chances.
Both sides back out for the second half and, as expected, no changes from either Robinson or Grayson.
KICKOFF! We're back underway at stadiummk. Can MK get back into this, or will Preston see it out for their first league win of the season?
Both sides back out for the second half and, as expected, no changes from either Robinson or Grayson.
BOOKING! Fifteen seconds into the half and Preston goalscorer Gallagher goes into the book for blatantly tugging back Spence.
Fabulous first touch from Sam Gallagher to get away down the right but the Southampton loanee then takes a very heavy second touch and the ball goes out of play. Ronaldinho one moment, a donkey the next.
Humphrey's charging run down the right earns the visitors a corner and Gallagher's outswinger is met by Garner, whose looping header grazes the roof of the net on its way over.
SHOT! Keane with some neat footwork in the box, but he can't quite work a shooting opportunity. Gallagher then has a pair of shots for the visitors, but both fail to test the keeper. Preston have started the second half well here.
Surely Robinson must be thinking about a change soon. Simon Church seems like the most obvious choice as Gallagher isn't having much luck against the Lilywhites' backline.
Preston breathe a sigh of relief. For a moment it looked like Madley had given MK a penalty, but he was just pointing for a goal kick after Gallagher had tussled with Wright.
CHANCE! Gallagher is pulling the strings in midfield for Preston and his ball over the top finds Keane. The on-loan Manchester United man gets in front of his marker but then makes a mess of the chance. You could tell he wasn't sure whethere to cross or shoot and in the end did neither.
It's fair to say that neither side really has their shooting boots on at stadiummk. MK have had eight shots and two on target, Preston one from nine which was Gallagher's cool finish for the opening goal.
DONS SUB: First change of the match and it's former Real Madrid youngster Benavente who is on for Carruthers.
If Preston hold on here, they will already be a third of the way to matching their away-win tally for the last time they were in the Championship in 2010-11.
Garner is perhaps a little lucky to avoid punishment after retaliating following a foul by McFadzean. Gallagher's deep cross is met by Clarke, but his header takes a deflection to go out for a corner.
BOOKING! Keane picks up a needless booking for blocking Pickford's free kick at the back.
Benavente with some bright dribbling but he overruns it as he approaches the area and is crowded out by the Preston backline.
A chance for some of the players to take in some fluids ahead of the final 15 as Paul Gallagher, the Preston goalscorer, receives treatment in the middle of the park. It doesn't look too serious.
PRESTON SUB: Gallagher might have been coming off anyway, but there's no needed for Grayson to take any risks so he brings on Alan Browne.
DONS SUBS: Second and third changes for the home side as Church and Jennings come on for Bowditch and Baker, with the latter failing to make it three in three this season.
PRESTON SUB: More action on the touchline as Jordan Hugill, who scored in midweek, replaces Keane for the visitors.
So, 10 minutes to go here and still it's 1-0 to the visitors. They've got just one of their 12 shots on target, but that was the one that's making the difference at the moment.
Today's attendance at stadiummk is 11,035.
RED CARD! HUGILL SENT OFF FOR PRESTON!
You're brought on to help your side see out the result and then do something stupid like this! Hugill was late on McFadzean and then appeared to stamp on the MK defender as he lay on the ground. Grayson will be furious if that ends up costing the Lilywhites.
A break in play as Johnson receives treatment. It gives Preston players the chance to prepare themselves for what will surely be an onslaught in the final few minutes.
Garner gives MK a free kick in a great position on the left. It's Jennings who takes it but it's not a great delivery and Pickford claims.
PRESTON SUB: Third and final change for the away side as Calum Woods takes Humphrey's place. The latter has put in an excellent shift down the right.
SIX minutes added on at stadiummk. Plenty of time for another goal.
Comfortable save for Pickford after Benavente had cut inside and had a pop at goal.
Garner buys a cheap free kick from Jennings in the middle and that will give Preston some time to waste as they edge towards a first win of the season.
Jennings has a go from distance but that was never troubling Pickford.
BOOKING! Madley shows PIckford a yellow card for what he felt was time wasting as the Preston keeper dilly-dallied over a goal kick.
FULL-TIME: MK DONS 0-1 PRESTON
All over at stadiummk and Paul Gallagher's first-half goal settles it. You have to say that Preston looked more dangerous and it's hard to say that they didn't deserve victory.
It's a first league defeat since March for MK Dons, who were nowhere near as clinical as last week at Rotherham.
Click here to see how the Championship table looks after today's games. There's still one match between Queens Park Rangers and Cardiff City, which you can follow here, to come, while tomorrow it's Wolves vs. Hull City, with the winner, if there is one, assured to go top as no-one else has six points out of six.
Anyway, that's all from me on this game, where Preston North End continued their unbeaten start to the season with a 1-0 win at MK Dons. They've still never lost to MK in league competition! Make sure you click around on site for reports, reaction and much more from Saturday's action. See you again soon!
Written by
Pascal Lemesre
Pascal Lemesre
