Paul Warne revealed a supporter warned him he would be sacked if Milton Keynes Dons lost to Luton Town. His team responded by securing their first league win of the season with a 2-1 victory at Stadium MK on Saturday, lifting them out of the bottom four.

Warne made the admission after the match, describing the intense pressure that had built after a 5-1 defeat to Reading the previous week. "I had a fan say to me 'good luck today, I hope you win." the head coach said. He praised his players' character for bouncing back against a side with similar ambitions.

Alex Gilbey opened the scoring after 25 minutes with a curled half-volley from the right flank, eluding two Luton defenders. The Hatters equalised with 20 minutes remaining through Jordan Clark, who fired a low strike into the bottom corner from a Tudor Mendel-Idowu assist. The decisive moment came in the 79th minute when Aaron Collins was fouled by George Johnston and stepped up to beat goalkeeper James Shea from the penalty spot. It was Collins' 10th goal in 11 appearances this season.

The result moves MK Dons up to 18th in the League One standings, with nine points from their opening nine matches. They are now 11 points behind leaders Bradford City but have created a small cushion above the relegation places. The win ends a league run of six games without a victory, their form before Saturday reading WLDDD.

Warne expressed relief at the outcome. "I understand how football is now more than ever. If you win, you’re heroes, if you lose, you’re not," he said. He highlighted the team's resilience after Luton's equaliser, crediting the dressing room for staying positive to find a late winner. The manager's overall record now shows just one home defeat and one away loss this term.

Attention now turns to a quick turnaround and a trip to Bloomfield Road to face Blackpool on Tuesday night. Blackpool sit 20th in the table, making it a key fixture for two teams looking to climb away from danger. Milton Keynes Dons will be aiming to build on this vital win and secure back-to-back victories for the first time this campaign.

More detail at footballlowdown.com

The club confirmed Alex Gilbey's 25th-minute opener against Luton was a spectacular long-range volley, describing it as a 'Goal of the Season contender'. Aaron Collins' 79th-minute penalty was his 10th goal of the campaign. The win, which lifts MK Dons to 18th in League One, was secured in front of a crowd of 16,377 at Stadium MK.