Dean Lewington: MK Dons captain equals appearance record in win over Morecambe

Dean Lewington is set to break the EFL appearance record for a single club on Boxing Day

MK Dons leapfrogged opponents Morecambe in the League Two table with a 3-1 win, as Dean Lewington made an EFL record-equalling 770th appearance for a single club.

Two goals from Max Dean and one from Joe Tomlinson gave the Dons a valuable three points at the Mazuma Stadium.

Captain Lewington matched John Trollope's total number of appearances for Swindon between 1960 and 1980 and is set to break the record at home to Colchester on Boxing Day.

"It's nice. It's obviously a pretty cool achievement. I suppose it is quite unusual, especially nowadays, but it's been a great journey with highs and lows like everything," Lewington told BBC Three Counties Radio.

The 39-year-old is the one player remaining at the club from the original Wimbledon, who moved to Milton Keynes in 2004, and for whom he played before Saturday's goalscorer Dean was even born.

Lewington said it was fitting that the manager who gave him his Wimbledon debut in April 2003, Stuart Murdoch, had been at the game to see him reach the milestone.

"It's better that Stuart Murdoch was here today. He gave me my debut 20 years ago so it was nice he was here," added Lewington.

"I love playing football, I love playing for MK Dons, I love where the club is going, the style of the team. The records keep coming and that's great, but I think more importantly the club is going in the right direction and is back in a positive place again.

"The struggle is always the fun bit, games like today and the bits in between that everyone sees are the real fun, and that's what I love and that's why I keep doing it," he added.

In-form youngster Dean gave Mike Williamson's side the lead in the 31st minute through a well-worked goal as he ran on to a superb through-ball from Adam Gilbey to round Adam Smith and place the ball into the empty net.

Morecambe levelled five minutes into the second half when Adam Mayor produced a superb cross from the left that was headed home by JJ McKiernan at the near post.

MK Dons regained the lead on 69 minutes with a fine strike from Tomlinson and Dean added a second six minutes into added time when an attempted Morecambe clearance rebounded into his path and he made no mistake from close range.

Lewington said aside from conceding a "sloppy goal", which made for a difficult 15-20 minute spell, his side controlled the game well.

He added: "This is a notoriously difficult ground, weather conditions are always tricky and today was no different.

"The first half we played really well, created a lot of opportunities but didn't finish them off the way we should have.

"They were playing well but the boys hung in there. They didn't have too many chances and I think we wrestled back control and the second goal just settled everyone down."

Match details supplied by PA Media.