Shrewsbury Town fell to a narrow defeat at home to promotion hopefuls MK Dons.

In a first-half of few clear-cut chances, the visitors managed to nick two scruffy goals with Scott Hogan and Will Collar on target.

Town did everything they could to get back on terms in the second half.

Chuks Aneke pulled one back with roughly 15 minutes.

Then, right at the death, Will Boyle saw a header brilliantly saved by Craig MacGillivray.

And that proved to be the difference between the two teams - with MK Dons just slightly more clinical when it mattered.

Team news:

Appleton opted to freshen things up for the visit of the Dons - with Will Brook getting the nod over Elyh Harrison in goal.

With Tom Anderson injured, Luca Hoole came into the back three alongside Sam Stubbs and Boyle.

Tom Sang and Sam Clucas continued at wing-back with Taylor Perry and Tommy McDermott in central midfield.

Ismeal Kabia, John Marquis and Bradley Ihionvien were a fluid front three.

MK Dons lined up in a 3-5-2 system with Rushian-Hepburn Murphy partnering Hogan in attack.

Report: 

It took just three minutes for the visitors to open the scoring at the Croud Meadow. A long throw-in was flicked on by Alex Gilbey, with Hogan then pouncing to turn the ball in at the back post.

Town responded to the early setback well.

Kabia darted towards goal before seeing a low effort claimed by goalkeeper MacGillivray.

McDermott then produced a delicious strike from just outside the area that curled millimetres wide.

In the 39th minute, though, the visitors managed to get themselves a second.

Brook did well to keep out a fierce strike from Aaron Nemane.

But Collar was the player to react quickest, with the midfielder stabbing the ball in from close range.

Appleton made a change at the break with George Lloyd replacing Ihionvien.

And Town were appealing for a penalty shortly after with Marquis dragged down in the box, only to see his protests waved away.

Appleton's men were giving everything to find a route back into the game.

And they came close again when Lloyd darted into the box and hit a powerful effort that deflected agonisingly wide.

Still knocking at the door, Town made a double change just past the hour mark with Aneke and Harrison Biggins replacing McDermott and Perry.

And it wasn't long until Aneke was on the scoresheet.

Kabia's ball into the box was only half-cleared to the striker who was centrally placed just inside the box.

And he then produced a brilliant finish to guide the ball into the bottom corner.

Town pushed and pushed for an equaliser from that point.

And they thought they had it in stoppage time when Boyle produced a bullet header from a corner.

But at full-stretch, Macgillivray managed to keep the ball out - with the keeper's heroics the difference between his team getting three points instead of one.

Teams: 

Shrewsbury: Brook, Hoole, Stubbs, Boyle, Sang (England 88), Perry (Aneke 65), McDermott (Biggins 65), Clucas, Kabia, Marquis, Ihionvien (Lloyd 46).

Subs not used: Harrison, Scully, Nsiala.

Milton Keynes Dons: MacGillivray, Crowley (Kelly 82), Gibley, Hogan (Thompson-Sommers 74), Mendez-Laing (Leko 85), Paterson, Nemane, Collar, Ekpiteta, Maguire, Hepburn-Murphy.

Subs not used: Trueman, Tripp, Domi, Medwynter.

Attendance: 4,854 (456 away)