MK Dons suffered a painful 5-1 defeat to Crawley Town to bow out of the play-offs in the semi-finals.

The Red Devils made the perfect start when Jay Williams scored after just three minutes before Danilo Orsi added a second from distance just before halftime.

Crawley made the ideal start to the second half as well with another quick-fire goal from Orsi, before Max Dean grabbed a goal back for the Dons from close range midway through the second half.

Dean then saw a penaly well saved by Corey Addai after Liam Kelly handled in the box.

With ten minutes left to play Jack Roles added a fourth for Crawley with a smart shot into the bottom corner, before Orsi eventually completed his hatrick in stoppage time on a disheartening night for MK Dons.

Mike Williamson made two changes to the XI that played on Tuesday, with Filip Marschall and Kyran Lofthouse coming into the side for Michael Kelly and Cameron Norman.

FIRST HALF

It was Crawley Town who made the perfect start to the play-off semi-final with a goal inside three minutes. Danilo Orsi put pressure on MK Dons as they played out from the back before Jay Williams won the ball off Alex Gilbey to create a shooting opportunity on the edge of the area. The midfielder kept his cool and prodded the ball past Filip Marschall to give Crawley the lead. 0-1.

Not long afterwards Danilo Orsi was involved again as he beat MK Dons’ offside trap, but he struggled to control his effort and sent it wide.

The intensity of the first half ramped up as it progressed, with strong tackles flying in from Crawley and MK Dons alike.

In the 25th minute Alex Gilbey had a chance for the Dons with Crawley keeper Corey Addai way off his line, the skipper took a shot from distance but Addai was able to get back in time and palm it down.

A minute later MK Dons had another chance, this time from Joe Tomlinson. The wing-back picked the ball up on the left-hand side of the pitch and ran towards goal before letting fly with a fierce effort from distance, but Corey Addai did well to stop it with an acrobatic save.

Not long afterwards Crawley Town doubled their lead. A mistake from MK Dons in defence let Danilo Orsi through on goal. The forward still had a lot of work to do but managed to get his shot away with enough accuracy to beat Filip Marschall from just outside the area. 0-2.

In the 39th minute Will Wright was shown Crawley’s first yellow card of the match for a late challenge on Lewis Bate.

On the stroke of halftime, MK Dons pulled a goal back. Crawley failed to deal with a Jack Payne free-kick which found Jack Tucker in the box, the defender’s header was well saved by Corey Addai but Max Dean pounced on the rebound to turn home from close range. 1-2.

Crawley almost immediately responded when Danio Orsi broke through on goal a few moments later. The Crawley forward lobbed Filip Marschall for what looked like a certain goal, but Jack Tucker pulled off a brilliant goalline clearance to deny him.

After five minutes of stoppage time, MK Dons went in at the break needing four goals to salvage the semi-final.

SECOND HALF

Mike Williamson made one change at halftime, with Ellis Harrison coming on for Lewis Bate.

Crawley Town immediately added another goal just after halftime. The Red Devils played good football to undo MK Dons with some quick one-touch passes in the box before the ball eventually came to Danilo Orsi who stroked it home for Crawley’s third. 1-3.

Moments later Max Dean had shouts for a penalty waved away after he looked to have been bundled over in the box by a Crawley defender.

Mike Williamson then made a double substitution, with MJ Williams and Emre Tezgel coming on for Jack Payne and Stephen Wearne.

Not long afterwards the Dons had a great chance to score from a short corner. The ball was played out to Alex Gilbey who sent a venomous ball into the box towards Emre Tezgel, but despite stretching the young striker couldn’t quite connect with it.

A few moments later Jay Williams was shown a yellow card for Crawley for a late challenge.

Alex Gilbey then had a chance for the Dons, firing a ball towards goal from just outside the area. Correy Addai fumbled the initial save which looked to have given Emre Tezgel a chance, but the Crawley goalkeeper was eventually able to smother the ball.

In the 63rd minute Daniel Harvie was shown MK Dons’ first yellow card of the evening for a late tackle.

A couple of minutes later MK Dons were awarded a penalty after Liam Kelly was judged to have handled the ball in the box. Max Dean stepped up for the Dons and struck the ball powerfully to the keepers' right, but Addai pulled off a brilliant save to deny the striker and keep Crawley’s two-goal lead intact.

Not long afterwards Emre Tezgel had another chance for the Dons from distance, but his driven shot was always rising over the bar.

In the 72nd minute Crawley nearly added a fourth. Danilo Orsi was desperately searching for a hat trick when he let fire with an ambitious shot from distance, but Filip Marshall managed to get a strong hand to it and palmed the ball onto the post.

With ten minutes left to play Crawley scored another. Danilo Orsi was again involved in the build-up play before the ball fell to Jack Roles on the left-hand side of the pitch. The midfielder took a touch to get the ball out of his feet before dispatching low driven effort into the bottom left-hand corner. 1-4.

Not long after the goal MJ Williams was shown a yellow card for a late challenge.

In the first minute of stoppage time Orsi did manage to score. The striker turned home from around 10 yards to add to the Dons’ misery and complete his hat trick. 1-5.

Moments afterwards Emre Tezgel went down the other end and rattled the crossbar with a thumping effort on a night when nothing seemed to be going Dons’ way.

Max Dean was then shown a yellow card for a late tackle.

After five minutes of stoppage time referee Sebastian Stockbridge blew his whistle on a difficult night at Stadium MK.

***

MK Dons: Marschall, Tucker, O’Hora, Gilbey (C), Payne (Williams 55), Tomlinson, Dean, Harvie, Wearne (Tezgel 55), Lofthouse, Bate (Harison 45)

Subs: Kelly, Norman, Lewington, Robson

Goals: Dean 45

Yellow cards: Harvie 63, Williams 81, Dean 90+3

Crawley Town: Addai, Conroy (C), L. Kelly, Maguire, Lolos (Roles 51), Orsi, Forster (Gordon 41), J. Kelly, Williams (Tsaroulla 65), Campbell (Darcy 51), Wright (Mukena 45)

Subs: Sandford, Adeyemo 

Goals: Williams 3, Orsi 30, 48, 90+1 Roles 80

Yellow cards: Wright 39, Williams 61

Referee: Sebastian Stockbridge

Stadium: Stadium MK

Attendance: 10,053 (1,630)