MORECAMBE suffered their first away defeat in six league games as two long range Alex Gilbey strikes earned MK Dons three points.
The Shrimps more than matched the league leaders for long periods but two superb strikes from the MK Dons midfielder proved the difference on the night as the Shrimps once again failed to find the target.
Boss Jim Bentley made. Number of changes to the side that drew with Notts County at the weekend with starts for Garry Thompson, Jason Oswell and Kevin Ellison.
MK Dons started the better and had two great chances to open the scoring in the early stages of the game.
In the first minute former Fleetwood loanee Bailey Cargill put in dangerous cross that was just too far ahead of the onrushing Conor McGrandles.
Rhys Healey then skied a shot off target before Cargill headed a right wing corner wide from close range when he was unmarked in the box.
After surviving the early scares the Shrimps came into the game with Andrew Tutte seeing a 25 free kick superbly saved by Lee Nicholls who tipped his effort onto the post on 16 minutes.
The home side hit back again with Jordan Cranston making a goal saving clearance to prevent a right wing cross from reaching Cargill before the Shrimps threatened again when Jason Oswell flicked on for A-Jay Leitch-Smith who ran on goal but shot straight at Nicholls from an acute angle.
In the end though it was Gilbey’s glorious goals that made the difference.
Gilbey's first came on 58 minutes after some slack defending from the Shrimps. A long ball forward wasn’t dealt with by the Morecambe defence and the midfielder side footed a long range effort into the bottom left hand corner of Mark Halstead’s goal.
Rhys Healey almost added a second for MK Dons when he hit the side netting from a tight angle and Dean Lewington saw a dipping volley superbly tipped over by Halstead.
Cargill then headed a Lewington corner over from 12 yards before Morecambe staged a late rally with Jordan Cranston and Alex Kenyon firing wide as the Shrimps played their best football of the game.
But they were undone for a second time by Gilbey on 84 minutes when the home side countered quickly and Gilbey was given the freedom of the park to pick his spot for a second time with a smart finish from distance.
MK Dons: Nicholls, Williams, Moore-Taylor (rep Cisse 24), McGrandles, Lewington, Gilbey, Houghton, Cargill, Healey, Aneke (rep Simpson 56), Agard (rep D’Ath 54). Subs not used: Moore, Watson, Hancox, Asonganyi
Morecambe: Halstead, Cranston, Lavelle, Old, Conlan, Thompson (rep Mandeville 66), Tutte (rep Yarney 37), Kenyon, Ellison, Leitch-Smith, Oswell (rep Oliver 74). Subs not used: Roche, Hedley, Mendes-Gomes, Piggot.
Ref: J Busby.
Att: 5,726