Despite a valiant effort against the team currently top of League Two, the hosts proved to be the more clinical side. We created a number of good chances but ultimately the League Two side showed their experience in finishing to score four.

We started strongly and showed good promise, but it was the Dons who took the lead through Matthew Dennis. We responded with a good goal from Jimmy-Jay Morgan as he headed in from a Somto Boniface cross.

Despite good chances from Morgan to see us take the lead, sandwiched between a close effort from Leo Castledine, the home team scored three unanswered goals to condemn us to defeat in our first group-stage game.

There were a number of changes made to the side that lost 3-2 against Norwich City in the Premier League 2. There were development squad starts for Tyrique George and Somto Boniface, who were fresh off impressive performances with the Under-18s last weekend.

Early error

It was a damp evening in Milton Keynes as a young Chelsea development squad side showed confidence from the first whistle. Tyrique George had a shot from just inside the box which hit the side-netting, highlighting our intent from the start.

We were confident on the ball and passing well in the middle of the pitch, but we were 1-0 down with just under 10 minutes played.

A misplaced pass was intercepted, and Dennis picked up the ball and drove through the middle of the pitch. As he continued to advance, he set himself to strike past Eddie Beach in goal. The Dons almost doubled their lead, but Beach came out quickly to deny Jonathon Leko’s effort.

Deserved goal

A cross into the box was dropped by Beach from a free-kick, but Dylan Williams was on hand to clear from the line to keep the scoreline at one goal to nil.

The game went through a quiet period, but we continued to go toe-to-toe with our experienced hosts, and it paid off as Boniface put in a great cross with his right-foot and Morgan nodded into the net to draw us level.

We ended the first period in the ascendancy after withstanding a period of pressure from the home side.

Dominant second half start

The second period began similarly to the first as we moved the ball well and found ourselves in dangerous positions. Despite our strong start, we failed to test the keeper, but in identical fashion to the first half the Dons took the lead with a goal against the run of play.

A save from Beach after a shot from Callum Tripp was parried into the danger zone and after some attempts to clear, the ball fell kindly to Leko, who tapped into the net.

Unfortunate turn of events

We had two chances to level soon after and they both fell to Morgan. The first came as he latched onto a deflected effort from Ronnie Stutter, but Nathan Harness saved well with his right boot. His second chance was a header he glanced wide.

We had a golden opportunity soon after as our young Blues did not let the goal affect their start to the second and Stutter cut the ball back to the edge of the penalty area for Castledine, who set himself but smashed just over.

A dubious third went in for the hosts, again against the run of play as Leko played a through ball to Max Dean who rifled into the net. The striker looked offside but the assistant’s flagged stayed down.

Morgan had another chance to score but again Harness rushed out and made a good stop. The Dons extended their lead and made it four as second-half substitute Dean grabbed his second of the game with a neat curled finish.

Despite the result, Mark Robinson’s men held their own and on another day might have got something from the game, but the experienced Dons managed to see the game out as we lost our first group game in this season's EFL Trophy.

What's next?

Our Under-21s will take on West Bromwich Albion in the PL2 on Friday 1 September at Kingsmeadow. Meanwhile, Northampton Town are next up in this competition, and that away game will be held on Tuesday 26 September, with kick-off at 7pm.

The teams

Chelsea (3-4-3): Eddie Beach; Brodi Hughes (Billy Gee 87), Alfie Gilchrist (c), Dylan Williams; Somto Boniface, Kiano Dyer (Sam Rak-Sakyi 80), Alex Matos (Harrison McMahon 80), Tyrique George; Leo Castledine, Ronnie Stutter (Ato Ampah 72), Jimmy-Jay Morgan (Donnell McNeilly 80)
Unused subs: Max Merrick, Kaiden Wilson
Scorer: Morgan 32
Booked: Boniface 90+4

MK Dons (3-4-3): Nathan Harness; Callum Tripp, Jack Tucker (Charlie Waller 62), Dean Lewington (c) (Warren O'Hora 62); Phoenix Scholtz, Brooklyn Ilunga, Dawson Devoy, Conor Grant; Matthew Dennis (Max Dean 62), Jonathan Leko (Joel Anker 72), Ashley Hunter
Unused subs: Craig MacGillivray, Daniel Harvie, Alex Gilbey
Scorers: Dennis 9; Leko 55; Dean 70, 79
Booked: Scholtz 14, Devoy 60, Hunter 66