FOREST Green Rovers' miserable 2023/24 League Two campaign continued on Saturday as they stretched their winless run to five games after the 2-0 defeat at MK Dons.

Max Dean put the Dons in front and Jack Payne extended the advantage as the hosts won the clash between two teams who were relegated from League One last season.

Rovers had failed to win any of their previous four Sky Bet League Two games and nearly fell behind early on when Payne’s free-kick narrowly cleared the bar.

The hosts then opened the scoring as Dean controlled Joe Tomlinson’s cut-back, evaded a defender and fired a shot across Luke Daniels into the bottom corner.

Conor Grant fired wide when well placed but the Dons doubled their lead when Tomlinson’s cross picked out Payne, who hit a firm strike into the back of the net.

Troy Deeney and substitute Matty Stevens missed the target with chances either side of the break and Deeney saw another late effort cleared off the line as the visitors failed to score for the third league game in a row.

They remain second-bottom in the table with their 13th defeat in 20 games in League Two, five points from safety.