Match ends, Northampton Town 2, MK Dons 2.
Two second-half goals from Ricky Holmes helped League Two side Northampton earn an FA Cup third round replay with Championship strugglers MK Dons.
Cobblers defender Ryan Cresswell put the Dons ahead when he turned Lee Hodson's cross into his own goal.
The hosts drew level shortly after the break, Holmes curling a shot into the top corner from just outside the box.
He fired in from Sam Hoskins' pass for his second, before Nicky Maynard equalised late on to force the replay.
The Cobblers were aiming to reach the fourth round for the first time since 2004, but the Dons took an early lead when Cresswell diverted the ball past Adam Smith under pressure from Simon Church.
Holmes looked to have secured an upset victory, but Maynard spared his side's blushes as he stabbed home from Ben Reeves's drilled cross.
Northampton Town manager Chris Wilder: "We're in a great position in the league and we're producing great performances like today. We feel a bit disappointed not to have beaten a Championship side in the FA Cup.
"It's mixed emotions, we played so well and thought we'd done enough to get into the fourth round but it wasn't to be. We desperately needed that third goal and if we'd have got it I think that would have been enough.
"We got two good goals and we're a bit disappointed by their equaliser, we had chances to clear it. The first goal was an own goal and the equaliser was a deflection."
MK Dons manager Karl Robinson: "We're still in the fourth-round draw and that's the main thing, now we can take them back to stadium:mk and have another go there.
"When you look at some of the results today you can see what a great competition it is and we're still in it. If we can win the replay then we're in the fourth round.
"For the first 15 minutes we were excellent and for the last 15 minutes we were excellent. In the middle hour we were poor and we have to have a look at that.
"Northampton might be disappointed not to be through but we've had disappointments all season and that's the way football is. It was a derby, we've not been at our best but we're still in the hat for the next round."
Line-ups
Northampton
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Smith
- 2Moloney
- 18McDonald
- 6Cresswell
- 16Buchanan
- 8Byrom
- 21O'Toole
- 10AdamsSubstituted forTaylorat 89'minutes
- 14HoskinsSubstituted forHackettat 77'minutes
- 11HolmesSubstituted forD'Athat 64'minutes
- 9Richards
Substitutes
- 3Horwood
- 4Taylor
- 5Diamond
- 7D'Ath
- 12Lelan
- 22Hackett
- 26Clarke
MK Dons
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 22Cropper
- 12Spence
- 5McFadzeanSubstituted forUpsonat 61'minutes
- 16Walsh
- 2Hodson
- 44Forster-Caskey
- 10Reeves
- 9Bowditch
- 38Hall
- 31MurphySubstituted forMaynardat 61'minutes
- 11ChurchSubstituted forCarruthersat 61'minutesBooked at 85mins
Substitutes
- 4Upson
- 14Carruthers
- 15Randall
- 19Hitchcock
- 28Maynard
- 29Burns
- 30Brittain
- Referee:
- Darren Drysdale
- Attendance:
- 5,878
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home46%
- Away54%
- Shots
- Home14
- Away10
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away3
- Corners
- Home9
- Away7
- Fouls
- Home12
- Away6
Live Text
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Post update
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Full Time
Second Half ends, Northampton Town 2, MK Dons 2.
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Corner, Northampton Town. Conceded by Cody Cropper.
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Post update
Corner, Northampton Town. Conceded by Jordan Spence.
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Substitution
Substitution, Northampton Town. Jason Taylor replaces Nicky Adams.
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Corner, MK Dons. Conceded by Rod McDonald.
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Booking
Samir Carruthers (MK Dons) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Samir Carruthers (MK Dons).
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Chris Hackett (Northampton Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt missed. Brendon Moloney (Northampton Town) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.
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Goal!
Goal! Northampton Town 2, MK Dons 2. Nicky Maynard (MK Dons) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Ben Reeves.
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Attempt blocked. Ben Reeves (MK Dons) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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Attempt blocked. Nicky Maynard (MK Dons) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
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Attempt saved. Nicky Adams (Northampton Town) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
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Foul by Chris Hackett (Northampton Town).
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Samir Carruthers (MK Dons) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Marc Richards (Northampton Town).
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Samir Carruthers (MK Dons) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Substitution
Substitution, Northampton Town. Chris Hackett replaces Sam Hoskins.
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Post update
Attempt missed. Robert Hall (MK Dons) left footed shot from the left side of the box is just a bit too high.