A GOAL from the Dons either side of half time cancelled out Jon Harley's first goal for Watford as the Hornets stepped up their pre-season preparation.

The former Chelsea man struck on the hour mark, but Keith Andrews and Aaron Wilbraham's strikes won the friendly tie for the League One side.

Make no mistake, Roberto Di Matteo's men were no ones fools and they gave Watford a real run for their money.

Watford started with the same eleven which drew with Brentford on Saturday, bar that of the position of goalkeeper as Scott Loach continued to deputise for both Mart Poom and Richard Lee.

The game couldn't have started much worse for Watford when Andrews, who Aidy Boothroyd had admitted to be a keen admirer of, put the Dons ahead.

The skipper struck from 25 yards out with an absolute riffle of a shot that flew past Scott Loach and almost ripped through the netting.

The Hornets attempted to equalise when Lee Williamson slid through an inch perfect pass for Tamas Priskin, but Willy Gueret was able to leap forward and smother the danger.

Aidy Boothroyd had seen enough on 19 minutes and made his way down from the stands to the touch line to take charge. Suddenly, his bellows were the only thing that could be heard in stadiummk as he berated and then cajoled his men.

Jemal Johnson was the next to line up in front of goal for MK Dons. With just Loach to beat, his shot thankfully flew wide of the far post.

Watford were trying in earnest to break through, but on one such occasion, the Dons resolute nature was summed up by the fact that they had nine men in the box.

Former Wimbledon boy Jobi McAnuff carved out a chance to level just ahead of the break, but his effort from just inside the box was deflected away for a corner.

He then had his appeals for a penalty waved away when he was felled in the box, referee Pat Miller claiming it was a clean tackle.

Boothroyd was able to instil his words of wisdom moments later as the whistle blew for half time.

Before the second half kicked off, Theo Robinson came on the place of Smith who was suffering with a tight groin. McAnuff took up the position on the right flank with Robinson taking up a spot on the left.

There was little time for Watford to settle as one of MK Dons' own substitutes, Sam Baldock, flew in on goal and saw his shot fly past Loach and clatter against the post.

Andrews continued to make a nuisance of himself, attempting to chip Loach from 20 yards out. The young stopper was well placed however and easily held his effort.

Watford finally got off the mark on the hour after a great move, culminating in Tamas Priskin crossing for Jon Harley who was well placed in the middle.

The new Hornet in town coolly slotted past Gueret and wheeled away, arm aloft in celebration of getting off the mark in only his second game.

This was better now from Watford. Robinson invigorated the front line and was throwing himself around in the box, trying to get on the end of every ball.

But it was the Dons' clinical finishing that again paid off when Aaron Wilbraham volleyed home Mark Wright's cross to put the home side ahead again.

Watford continued to mount pressure on the Dons defence though, pinballing the ball around the box with it having to be cleared off the line once and saved by the roof of the net seconds later.

It was not to be for Watford though and despite the late pressure, the Dons held out to claim the friendly bragging rights.

MK DONS: Gueret; Lewington, O'Hanlon (Cummings 46), Regan, Howell; Wright (Dobson 74), Navarro (Leven 46), Andrews, Sturm (Chicksen 58); Johnson (Baldock 46), Wilbraham. Subs: Abbey, King, Mitchell, Dobson.

WATFORD: Loach; De La Cruz (Jenkins 69), Bromby, DeMerit (Mariapp 61), Sadler; Eustace (Doyley 75), Williamson (Francis 61), Harley; Smith (Robinson 46), Priskin, McAnuff. Subs: Beasant, Doyley, Young, Hoskins, Ainsworth.

GOALS: MK DONS; Andrews 5, Wilbraham 72. WATFORD; Harley 60.

REF: Pat Miller

ATT: 5,781 (1,852 Watford supporters)

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